Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Name: The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant
Address: 325 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133
Telephone: (415) 781-7673
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.32

The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant

325 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133

(415) 781-7673
Store is closed

The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant Menu

Bagna Calda

Garlic Soaking in a Hot Tub
Sizzling Iron Skillet - Roasted

Mussels

Shrimp

Mussels & Shrimp

Combo

Double Shrimp & Crab

Double Mussels & Double Crab

Double Shrimp & Double Crab

Double Mussels & Crab
Tureens

Garlic Steamed Clams

Zuppa di Pesce

Shrimp Pescatore
Appetizers

Roasted Garlic Potato Onion Soup

Chilled Marinated Asparagus

Garlic Spinach Fontina Fondue

Garlic Meatballs

Garlic Hummus Cocktail

Roasted Garlic Baked Triple Cream Goat Brie
Pizzas

Pepperoni*

Garlic Pesto & Fontina

BBQ Garlic Chicken

Margherita*
Salads

House Salad

Caesar

Panzanella*

Arugula
Pastas

Garlic Parsley Butter Sauce

Arugula Pesto

Fresh Tomatoes

Chicken & Asparagus

Shellfish

Prawns

Clams

Neon Ravioli

Gnocchetti

Lasagna
Dungeness Killer Crab

Whole Crab

Lotsa Crab

Too Two Crab (for 3)

Crab Feast
Favorites

Forty Clove Garlic Chicken

Garlic Braised Boneless Short Rib

Italian Garlic Meatloaf

Portobello Mushroom

Silence of the Lamb Shank

Rabbit

Prime Pork Chop*

Baby Back Ribs
Fish

Salmon

Sea Bass

Halibut Sott' Olio
Garlic Roasted Prime Rib

Garlic Roasted Prime Rib
Surf & Turf

Crab with Prime Rib
Sides

Acini di Pepe Pasta

Garlic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Creamed Spinach

Steamed Vegetables with Olive Oil & Garlic

Roasted Garlic Bulb
Happy Cocktails

Blood Orange Margarita

Vampire's Bite

Apple Rumba
Wines

Chateau du Garlique transylvania

Beringer white zinfandel

House White

House Red

Prosecco Avissi sparkling wine italy

La Boatina pinot grigio italy

Honig sauvignon blanc napa

Schmitt Sohne riesling germany

Sterling chard vintner's collection

Volpaia Citto chianti tuscany

Jekel pinot noir santa barbara

Bargetto merlot central coast

Bonterra cabernet mendocino

Alexander Valley syrah sonoma

Rosenblum zinfandel napa

Santa Margherita pinot grigio italy

Trefethe chardonnay napa

L'Aura Chianti Classico tuscany

Mac Murray pinot noir sonoma

Hess Select cabernet napa

Coppola Director's Cut zinfandel sonoma

Veuve Clicquot champagne france

Cakebread chardonnay napa

Jordan cabernet alexander valley
Draft Beer

Stella Artois

Anchor Steam

Coors Light

Peroni

Speakeasy Prohibition Ale

Blue Moon
Beverages

Coke/Diet

Sprite

Ginger Ale

OJ/Grapefruit

Cranberry

Iced Tea

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant

Bagna Calda

Garlic Soaking in a Hot Tub [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sizzling Iron Skillet - Roasted

Mussels [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mussels & Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Combo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Double Shrimp & Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Double Mussels & Double Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Double Shrimp & Double Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Double Mussels & Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Tureens

Garlic Steamed Clams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zuppa di Pesce [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Pescatore [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Appetizers

Roasted Garlic Potato Onion Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chilled Marinated Asparagus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Spinach Fontina Fondue [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Meatballs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Hummus Cocktail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Garlic Baked Triple Cream Goat Brie [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pizzas

Pepperoni* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Pesto & Fontina [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Garlic Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Margherita* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salads

House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Panzanella* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Arugula [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pastas

Garlic Parsley Butter Sauce [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Arugula Pesto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Tomatoes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken & Asparagus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shellfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prawns [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Clams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Neon Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocchetti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lasagna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Dungeness Killer Crab

Whole Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lotsa Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Too Two Crab (for 3) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crab Feast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Favorites

Forty Clove Garlic Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Braised Boneless Short Rib [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Italian Garlic Meatloaf [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Portobello Mushroom [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Silence of the Lamb Shank [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rabbit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prime Pork Chop* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Back Ribs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Fish

Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sea Bass [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Halibut Sott' Olio [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Garlic Roasted Prime Rib

Garlic Roasted Prime Rib [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Surf & Turf

Crab with Prime Rib [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sides

Acini di Pepe Pasta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Creamed Spinach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Vegetables with Olive Oil & Garlic [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Garlic Bulb [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Happy Cocktails

Blood Orange Margarita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vampire's Bite [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Apple Rumba [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Wines

Chateau du Garlique transylvania [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beringer white zinfandel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House White [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Red [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prosecco Avissi sparkling wine italy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

La Boatina pinot grigio italy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Honig sauvignon blanc napa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Schmitt Sohne riesling germany [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sterling chard vintner's collection [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Volpaia Citto chianti tuscany [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jekel pinot noir santa barbara [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bargetto merlot central coast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bonterra cabernet mendocino [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Alexander Valley syrah sonoma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rosenblum zinfandel napa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Santa Margherita pinot grigio italy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trefethe chardonnay napa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

L'Aura Chianti Classico tuscany [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mac Murray pinot noir sonoma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hess Select cabernet napa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coppola Director's Cut zinfandel sonoma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veuve Clicquot champagne france [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cakebread chardonnay napa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jordan cabernet alexander valley [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Draft Beer

Stella Artois [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Anchor Steam [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coors Light [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Peroni [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Speakeasy Prohibition Ale [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Moon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Beverages

Coke/Diet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sprite [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ginger Ale [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

OJ/Grapefruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cranberry [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Iced Tea [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Jacob S.

It really doesn't get any better than this, heaven on earth. I've been there twice, and both times ive been more than pleased. i got the bagna calda to start, and that bread and garlic just melts in your mouth. anything on that menu will blow you away. i got the lamb and came with garlic mashed potaotes and the best spinach ive ever had. my girlfriend got the potato raviolis which were packed with flavor. with the two entrÃ©es the garlic bath and a couple beers to wash it down, our bill was still only like $60. if i lived in san francisco i would eat there at least once a week.
(5)
Stephanie P.

Yum, yum, yum. The Stinking Rose was fabulous. The ambiance wonderful. My salmon was cooked exactly as requested and very tasty. Chocolate mousse with brownie for desert......fabulous! The service.....no complaints. Will dine here again.
(5)
Nancy T.

I had the meat loaf and it was BOMBATIOUS! The potatoes and spinach complimated the meat loaf.
(4)
Stephen C.

From start to finish, Stinking Rose was excellent! It's nice to have dinner in San Francisco where the staff doesn't take themselves too seriously. We enjoyed the bagna calda, steamed clams and "neon ravioli." If you love garlic, this is a don't-miss. Great for families, teenage date night, or fun dining on the cheap. Looking forward to a return visit.
(5)
Michael R.

Crab is to die for! Love this place.
(5)
Trevor C.

Worst $100 date meal I've ever had. The Bagna Calda was somehow bland, the neon ravioli was flavorless moosh with a runny sauce, and to boot the service was terribly impersonal. Totally just for tourists, I would never go back.
(2)
Scarlett B.

The candle light back room was excellent. Our server Edgar was great he took care of us all night and the food was great!
(5)
Denise D.

Went here for the first time on a date with my little sister. We started with the Brie, shared the pork chop...and I loved every minute of it. Until about 1 am in the morning, when I woke up with food poisoning. My little sister was absolutely not affected, so maybe it was just really horrible indigestion? I'd like to give it one more try, because I'm such a garlic lover.
(2)
Shanna K.

Sooooo touristy. Ugh. I never would have ended up here if not for a work related function. Our boss chose it, and well... ya go where he wants to go. If you find yourself there for whatever reason... Skip the bagna cauda (they spell it calda)... it's just a bunch of roasted garlic cloves in olive oil. To my knowledge there was no anchovy, as in traditional bagna cauda nor is there any sort of variation like the addition of cream... it's just Yet More Garlic. Eh. You'll get plenty of that through the night, trust me, so why spend the extra money? Plus the bread isn't very good so it's kind of a waste, IMO. Instead, try the fresh herb and garlic condiment on the table. It's much more lively. We ordered a variety of appetizers for the group, including the mussels, shrimp and crab legs. This all left a lot to be desired. It did not seem particularly fresh and of course, it came covered in yet more garlic cloves. I tried one of everything just to see... but skipped it. For my entree I went with the salmon as it seemed to be the one thing on the menu that wasn't completely covered in garlic. (and yes, yes... I realize it's called The Stinking Rose, but there IS such a thing as overkill). It was cooked reasonably well, if a bit on the dry side, and the roasted cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives were a nice accompaniment. I can make this at home, so I wasn't particularly impressed, per se... but it was good enough. The rest of my dining companions seemed happy with their respective chicken, short rib and steak dishes. Most of which came covered in... yes.. more garlic. We passed on dessert as it was an unusually hot day in the city and we had filled up on beer instead. I will give them props for the giant glasses of Prohibition Ale. That hit the spot. Service was efficient. Can't comment on parking. Can't say I'd go back.... it's just not that great and I can't get past the tourist vibe. Why should I when there are so many truly fantastic places to eat in San Francisco?
(2)
venu p.

a must-go place, if you love garlic.
(5)
Samer K.

Garlic, Garlic, and more Garlic!!!! I love it!!! You have to have the shrimp and mussel on the sizzling platter.
(4)
Hannah C.

I would actually give this place 3.5 stars. Everyone recommended the Bagna calda so we ordered that. It's basically really mushy garlic in olive oil. It's good with the bread. We ordered the clam black linguini and the neon ravioli and the garlic meatballs. Everything was good, but not AMAZING. Also, for the quality I do believe the price is a little too high.
(3)
Edward W.

We had reservations on a busy Saturday nite. Good thing, too, as we bypassed the waiting horde and were promptly taken to our chianti room booth straight away. That was a precursor for the rest of our fast paced experience at the Stinking Rose. At the table our waiter quickly took our drink order and wirelessly transmitted our appetizer order, the Bagna Calda, to the kitchen. He had hardly left the table when the appetizer showed up, well before our drinks and bread arrived. It couldn't have been more than 5 minutes after we sat down! Talk about toooo fast! Thankfully the bread and drinks arrived shortly thereafter, and the warm garlic cloves in seasoned oil were terrific. I wished the bread was crusty and warm rather than cold dinner rolls, however. In a town known for it's bread, the rolls here are just average. We asked our waiter which entree he would choose, the baby backs or the short ribs. He recommended the baby back ribs. They arrived very quickly, before we had a chance to finish the Bagna Calda. We had only been sitting for 15 minutes at this point. Do you get the impression they are trying to turn over tables at the Stinking Rose? Ambience is kinda cool. Eclectic. A mix of booths and tables. B&W pictures on the wall (think Buca Di Beppo), and chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling. Lots of candles all around our dimly lit dining room. Well, the food... The Bagna Calda was rustic and very good, save the average bread. The ribs were indeed fall off the bone tender, prepared dry-style, interestingly spiced with sage. BBQ sauce was served on the side and though tasty, appeared to be commercially made. Mashed potatoes were gummy, not creamy, but were otherwise ok. We paid the bill, I looked at my watch as we walked out the door-40 minutes from the time we walked in. And this was on a busy Saturday nite, and we were not in any kind of rush. This experience was not to be confused with fine, gracious dining... To wrap up, ok food, 2.5 stars, accompanied by warp speed - inappropriately so - service. This is not a dining experience, rather it's a speed dating session with a bunch of garlic cloves.
(3)
Jessica L.

Went here to eat for a friends birthday. Starting off right when we walked in, the hosts were rude. The way the guy talked was totally unprofessional and when I asked him if we could be seated before the whole party was here, he didn't even look at me. Instead he looked at his book and muttered "have to wait until group is here" and the girl next to him repeated him. Our server was GREAT though. She was so friendly and confident. She even gave us an extra bag of bread at the end because me and my boyfriend liked it. This place would have gotten 2 stars but I added 1 because she picked the mood back up for us. The food was not impressive. The bread & the garlic dip was good in the beginning. The bread is soft!! (we have braces) My boyfriend & I ordered the garlic Filet Mignon chili appetizer. It was nothing special. Just like regular chili, mush. Couldn't even tell if there was beef in there. Canned Stagg chili from Costco made more of an impression on me than this $10 chili did. I ordered the Salmon with pasta (like cous cous). The whole thing was bland. I had to add garlic oil to it to make it taste like something. Salmon was cooked nicely though, it flaked but, eh. Boyfriend had the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Flavor of the meatloaf was good. Friends had the Forty Chicken & it was good. The chicken wasn't dry. My friend ordered the mushroom lasagna and said it was good but wouldn't order it again. Our plates were about $20 each. Me & my bf's total was $80. Some of our friends only had CC & they allowed us to split the check. That's convenient I guess It's decorated like every other Italian restaurant... pictures and crap all over the walls I guess people hyped up this place too much for me. So I expected a lot more. And walking in to those rude people did dampen the mood a little. This is a good place for groups though the tables get cramped but the food isn't really as great as people say. It's weird. My salmon & pasta didnt taste thaaaaaaaat much like garlic but I woke up at 3am to my breath smelling like garlic. TMI? Sorry but it was one of the more memorable moments of this experience. & Yes I brushed my teeth & flossed & rinsed. I rather have a garlic noodle & 5 spice chicken plate from Perilla.
(3)
sharma h.

Took my teenagers. Had the garlic appetizer, a whole crab, and Silence of the lamb shank followed by garlic ice cream. Delish! What a fun place this was to eat. I'm still amazed my daughter put away the whole lamb shank by herself! Just be sure the ENITRE group eats the garlic appetizer from the start, and don't skip the ice cream no matter what!
(4)
Lola G.

Delicious. Must like garlic (obviously). Highly recommended to try if visiting the area. Everything is yummy. They have a general dining area with with a cooler dining area in the back. Good for a date, good for groups.
(5)
Nicholas Y.

all i gotta say is if you love garlic this is the place to be. i want to try every dish they have in there. its so GOOD. the only thing i can say is if you dont really like garlic dont go. be sure to make reservations and go early because its hard to get a table on weekends and its really hard to find parking.
(5)
Brianna D.

Sometimes it's totally worth it to have a garlic stench for a couple days ... not with this food. My lasagna sauce tasted like it came from a can of Spaghettios. I so regret being talked into eating here...
(1)
Natasha S.

Went here for xmas dinner - awesome that they were open! I had never been here ... Went with the family we all ordered something differently. To start off with as an appetizer we ordered the garlic steamed clams (18piece) which were yummy, the only qualm that i had was that some werent open at all and we couldn't eat them and the waiter knew about it and still didn't help or bring us more to replace them. My father ordered : the Prawns pasta and he said it was good ... he was a little stingy on sharing with the rest of the family but the piece of prawn that i got to try was yummy. Wasn't as Garlicy as my dad would have wanted though My mom ordered : the Silence of the Lamb Shank ... it was super moist and it just pulled off the bone with a touch of the fork. it came with yummy veggies as well. There were garlic chunks everywhere ... YUM! My sister ordered : the Neon Ravioli and she enjoyed it, i thought it was okaaaay. its probably something that i could have made at home, not garlicy at all. I ordered : Italian Garlic Meat Loaf ... I am usually scared about ordering meat loaf at restaurant thinking it might be dry (ew) BUT the meat loaf here wasn't dry at all, it had veggies and garlic cooked inside which was pretty awesome, came with decent mashed potatoes as well. I also ordered a glass of the Honig Sauvignon Blanc which was yummy, probably not the best choice with meat loaf but i love my sauvignon Blanc :) My glass was filled up about 3/4ths of the way (thats pretty good!) Parents ordered a gin and tonic and they said it was good as well and not stingy on the size either. The service was a little iffy and im not sure if it was bc it was Christmas but it wasn't like they were HELLA SLAMMED. We felt forgotten a FEW times... We ordered Garlic Ice cream for dessert and it took FOREVER for it to come out and when the waiter came back to check up on us he realized that we had not got it yet, when he brought our ice cream it was twice the size of what it should have been ... yummy garlic ice cream! OVERALL: definitely will go back to try some of the other dishes and more of the yummy clams!
(4)
Sj G.

I've been going to the Stinking Rose for years because of their Crab Ciopinno. I haven't eaten anything else there but the friends that I've brought along loved their food. It's not a very big place so it would be wise to make reservations, especially if you have a large party. Except for one time, I've had excellent service.
(4)
Jordan P.

The ambience is fun and quirky. While the food was good, though not outstanding, our service was terrible. Can't stress enough how bad our waiter was. Really really bad.
(3)
David M.

Great food! Great service! Never a dull moment! Took my friend for his very first time and he loved it! He even had the Garlic Ice Cream! (YUK!)
(5)
Tak-seng L.

Last time we can to San Francisco we stopped here via a rec from my Brother-In-Law and he was right, we definitely enjoyed it. Now we're back in town and had to stop in again. For the life of me I can't remember what I had last time but I know Whitney got some sort of ravioli and we ended up really liking the place. I do remember loving all of the roasted garlic but that it was a bit cool. Much prefer it warmer. Now, if you're going on a date here and you might spend the night with your partner...be sure you both partake in the garlic otherwise you're going to really torture each other at night and the next day. We stank like HELL! Which makes sense of course... Anyway, this time around I had the Salmon topped with lemon butter caper/garlic sauce with steamed veggies and Whitney had the Basa (white fish) with the same sauce and a side of orzo. We also took part in a small order of mussels and plenty of bread with their basil-garlic-oil spread. Now, if you're a fan of mussels a small order should be fine for two plus they put in plenty of garlic cloves so you really don't need an order of roasted garlic for the bread. The fish portions are probably about 6-7 ounces with a decent size side. If you grab an app and partake in the bread like we did this will be plenty of food. If you're going for pasta, watch out because the sizes are a bit on the crazy side. Expect leftovers. I can't say that the food was super impressive but the constant doses of garlic are fun and like last time, we ended up stinking pretty bad. The overall value is pretty good and the uniqueness of the decor adds to a lot. It definitely is a tourist spot and while it was fun a second time I think in the future we'll be exploring other places. So, what's my rec? It's worth a try if you've never been but don't expect to be blown away by the uniqueness of the food. It's just a shit load of garlic with average fare. The wine selection seemed pretty good too and prices somewhat fair. I'd suggest going for a bottle. Have fun!
(4)
Rav V.

In typical SF fashion, a business picks a theme and goes over the top with it. This place is cheesy as in tacky or more appropriately garlicky. I thought Gilroy was the self proclaimed Garlic Capital of the World? Apparently the stinking rose is. Parking is non-existent so bring your coins to feed the hungry meter. Know that an odd shaped restaurant with awkward seating awaits you. But, if you're a Garlic lover you will likely be in Garlic heaven here. The service here is friendly which is always a plus Bread - eh' Bagna Calda $4.95 - Our waitress suggested this as their specialty. Garlic cloves, oven-roasted in extra virgin olive oil & butter with a hint of anchovy. IMO, overrated. Coke - $3.25, yes $3.25 Prawn Pasta $19.95 - Prawns, fettuccine, bacon, onions in a spicy red pepper garlic oil. This was delicious, good pasta and great sauce. Zuppa Di Pesce (small) $ 19.95 - Mussels, crab, fresh fish, calamari & shrimp in a spicy tomato brodetto. Wow, this was amazing. The sauce was addicting. Overall, we were impressed and we enjoyed the food. I wouldn't call this a tourist trap but I'm sure its popular though on our visit it was quiet. I swear I smelled like garlic for a whole week! Wifey picked this place and I'm definitely glad we gave it a try. * 3.5 Stars
(4)
Michelle A.

Went here for my birthday last Friday night and it was great! I have been to the W. Hollywood location before and have always loved this place. We started off at the bar on Friday and had Christina as our bartender. She was totally awesome! Friendly and funny! She gave us some of that wonderful garlic relish and bread...yum-o! We headed to our table when the rest of the party got there, but I was three glasses of wine in by this time, so I couldn't even point out our waiter in a lineup....lol! The food was terrific...I split the crab legs and prime rib with my friend and it was the perfect amount of food. I will definitely come back!
(5)
tim r.

It was packed, so they're doing something right. The vibe is pretty touristy, the food was ok...not great, not bad. We had an excellent waiter, he guided the kids out of their initial choices (including lasagna) which he clearly knew from experience didn't work for kids. Glad we went once, no major reason to go again over the many options in SF.
(3)
Kae B.

i wouldn't recommend this place on a first date... you will come out smelling like garlic for days! their lasagna is pretty good, but my fav. is their their chicken caesar salad, margherita pizza and roasted garlic crab.
(3)
Sandra L.

I'm surprised to see an average of only 3 stars from the yelpers, I've always been a fan of The Stinking Rose. It is called the Stinking Rose for a reason, everything is loaded with garlic people, so please make sure your stomach and body can handle that much of the yummy ingredient! We made reservations for a Saturday night and I'm glad we did because the restaurant was packed. When we got there, we walked right in and got seated to our table, Love it, especially since we had tickets to go see Cirque that night as well. We were seated on the side of the restaurant that neither my wife nor I knew existed. They where these little wooden booths with canopy style black and white fabric over it where you could close if you wanted privacy, which was funny and cute at the same time, felt like you where in a circus tent kind of. Anyhow, we immediately ordered our Bagna Calda, I mean seriously, you can't come to this place without ordering this dish, otherwise you might as well leave now, and our drinks. I ordered a Blue Moon and my wife ordered the Blueberry Margarita, which was stiff and liked very much. Our Bagna Calda was wonderful, although, I have to admit, I like my garlic a little bit more roasted than some of the pieces provided, but I still enjoyed every bit of it! For our entree's my wife ordered the Gnocchetti with garlic gorgonzola, asparagus & toasted pine nuts and I of course ordered the Garlic Encrusted Baby Back Ribs with garlic mashed potatoes. I was really tempted to ordered the 40-clove Garlic Chicken which is amazing, but something told me the people at the show later wouldn't appreciate that, LOL. Our food came and it was perfectly prepared and melted in your mouth. My ribs where fall off the bone and the bbq sauce they put on the side pared wonderfully with the encrusted garlic seasoning, and even though the garlic mash potatoes where a little "gummy" the flavor was perfect and went well with everything. My wife's gnocchetti was very good and the sauce was wonderful. We couldn't finish our food since we enjoyed a little to much of the Bagna Calda and enjoyed the lefts overs the next day. Our meal with the Stinking Rose was enjoyable, the service was pleasant and fast. We enjoy hitting this place up when ever we have time and are in the city! Even if we smell like Garlic for 2 days afterwards :)
(4)
Diana T.

I thought this place was great! The Salmon dish was amazing. It was very flavorful. I loved how the menu allows a choice of what to have the dish served with. I had mine with the risotto and cherry tomatoes. It was an excellent combination. My friends had the muscles and let me try some. They were also excellent. It is definitely a pricey place but worth the money.
(5)
Denise L.

15+ years later, I finally got to try The Stinking Rose. I first saw it on The Real World, San Francisco, and thought, I have to try it. Especially being older and having a love for garlic, I wanted to try it that much more. My girlfriend brought me here for my early birthday dinner after hearing how much I wanted to try it. Parking of course was a pain, as its located in North Beach. We searched for about 30 minutes until we nabbed a parking spot on Broadway. We called the restaurant to let them know we'd be late for our 6:30 PM reservations. The restaurant was really busy, but what shocked me was how large it was! I imagined it to be a small restaurant, but there were so many areas that I didn't imagine it to have. We grabbed a drink at the bar while we waited for our table, and my grey goose/pineapple juice cup was HUGE! i thought, maybe it wont be that strong since it's so big. IT WAS! i couldnt finish it! We were taken to our table shortly after, and we went to the top back, which had a row of totally cute booths. each table had a chandeleir and mirror, very cute. Each table also had a jar of garlic/parsley/olive oil and foccacia bread (they said it was, but it just seemed more like rolls) that was so yummy! we ordered the bagna calda after i read it on yelp, the garlic cloves in oil on a cute little pan, keeping warm over a candle, and that was really great too. we also ordered a margherita pizza, which you would think would have garlic, but was just grape tomatoes/basil/and mozzerella. it was just ok. it only tasted better since we added the garlic from the bagna calda. i ordered the garlic braised short rib, even though all the reviews raved about the chicken. my friend ordered the rabbit. the plates of food are pretty large portioned, i couldn't even eat half of my short rib, but did manage to finish the creamed swiss chard (which was a surprise, i didnt know it was going to be included) which was creamy and delicious and most of my garlic mashed potatoes. my friend's rabbit was nicely cooked and she got half of a rabbit, so her portion was huge! the short rib was cooked so well, and the meat just melted in my mouth. we were going to order the garlic ice cream, but the waiter told us it would just taste like vanilla ice cream after all the garlic we just had, so we thought, forget it. but to a nice surprise, they came out with a chocolate cake/mousse with a candle holder, and sang happy birthday to me. they called me little stinker in the name. :) very fun restaurant, very reasonable prices, but be prepared, i could barely sleep because i reeked of garlic and gum, mouthwash, brushing my teeth madly did not help.
(4)
BriannSandy W.

Sandy and I were the city for the daughter's soccer tournament at the polo fields. This gave us a chance to eat out without a special trip across the bridge. Originally we hoped to eat at the house of prime rib, but after a call we learned they were full so we looked for a back up. Sandy had visited the stinking rose a few years back and having no addiction stronger than her love of garlic, she suggested we give it a try. We arrived at about 7pm and after about eight trips around the block, we found parking and made our way into the restaurant. We were quickly seated in a quaint table under the tent like cabana that wraps each table in that wing in privacy. After a long day of soccer dad-ing, a little quite time with Sandy in a semi private table with a couples glasses of red wine and hopefully some tasty food sounded like just the remedy. the waiter came by and took our order. Sandy opted for the prime rib and I chose the zuppe di pesce. Sandy ordered her prime rib medium and while it was flavorful, she wished it were a little less cooked. My dish was flavorful and contained a great deal of seafood and crab. The tomato broth was seasoned well and the tureen was piping hot. As we began to enjoy our dinner we noticed that folks started lining up three feet from our private table. Having little room in the long narrow hallway, As we were talking about the earlier game and sipping our wine, we couldn't help but notice the two people standing almost arms length from our table as they stood next to the small closet like door. Moments later the door opened revealing the white porcelain bowl as the occupant lowered the lid and walked out of the tiny restroom. Throughout the meal we couldn't help but notice the activity four feet away as the bathroom across from our table was accessed over and over. While our cabana like table at first seemed like a wonderful little location, having it situated directly across from the bathroom erased all positive thoughts we had of our quant little spot. A few flushes later, dinner was over and we headed out. Overall the food was pretty good. The seafood in the pot was by far the better of the meals and while it wasn't good enough to make up for the poor table location, it helped lesson the blow. While we originally looked forward to the tastes and aromas of the stinking rose, our horrible seating location near that bathroom, gave a whole new meaning to the restaurant's name. 3 stars for the food and no stars for the table location.
(3)
Sally C.

I've wanted to try Stinking Rose for a long time, but I didn't want to set my expectations too high because of the mediocre reviews on here. Regardless, I had a good time and although the food wasn't extraordinary, it was good and I had fun. The first thing I noticed when we were brought to our table was how cute the seating booths were! Towards the back, the booths were bordered by curtains so it seemed like we had a space all to ourselves. A candle, bread rolls, and a small jar that was a mixture of fresh garlic, parsley, and oil already awaited us. The garlic/parsley mix was SO good that we finished off 2 plates of rolls no problemo even before we ordered any appetizers or our meal. When the waitress came back, we still decided to get a bagna calda. Honestly, I could have made do with garlic/parsley mix, but the waitress recommended it and there were soooo many reviews on here telling us to order it, so we did....and we were.... Disappointed? Maybe. Kind of. We both liked the fact that the garlic was soft and easily spreadable, but there was just no taste to it. Perhaps the strong garlic taste from our previous 'appetizer' overpowered the bagna calda garlic and took away from the experience. By the time we ordered our main meals, we were already soooo full from rolls. Seriously, we had 3 plate fulls. I got the lamb shank and he got the chicken. Lamb was soooo soft and tender- I didn't even have to use a knife; a fork did the job fine since the meat fell right off the bone. The taste was a little underdone though. Although there wasn't much flavor to it, it was done very well. I enjoyed the creamed spinach and mashed potato sides. The chicken however, was really really good! The wine and shallot sauce made the dish stand out from all the garlic taste. I was really full halfway into my main course and we both did not have room for dessert- a shame since I wanted to try the garlic ice cream pretty bad. I think I got sick of the garlic taste in the end, shameful since the food wasn't half bad- but not too deserving of 5 stars yet. I would say a 3.5, rounded up to 4 because of the cute ambience plus the good service. We definitely smelled like garlic and it was sooo hard to get rid of the garlic breath! Haha, among other smells... Him: Don't forget to upload the pics from dinner. Him: Btw, my farts smell like garlic.
(4)
Carolyne R.

Our waitress Jacqueline was great she made my husbands birthday a blast. The food was very good needed more garlic. My favorite part was the garlic head they put on my husband for his birthday. It is worth buying the house wine you get more for your buck. The prime rib was really good. The ribs are OK. I think the 40clove chicken is better. If you want the garlic experience use the garlic green relish that is on every table.
(4)
Sheena D.

If you are a garlic connosuier, this your place. The aroma of sweet garlic hits your senses as you walk through the door. The inner decor is reminiscient of italy. Its a very cozy and comfortable place. I ordered the lobster ravioli. The ravioli was amazing and awe inspiring. It had a rich garlic flavor which didn't overwhelm the lobster or the ravioli. It was a light flavoring which accented the well cooked pasta. The customer service was very good because they checked up on you without seeming like they were hovering. All in all, I would highly recommend this place if you love italian food and love garlic and just happen to be in little italy.
(5)
Wally V.

OMG I still dream of it. I got prime rib and my husband got the big gigantic crab. So amazing! Also it is a must the BAGNA CALDA and the roasted garlic. We went twice and both time was amazing. I wish there was one in Miami where I live. Last week (July 20,2010) I had lunch at the one at La Cianega Blvd. in B.H., Los Angeles. I confirm my review. Same great food!
(5)
Firecracker M.

We had a delicious meal at The Stinking Rose and yes, garlic is front and center - where it belongs! The restaurant was open air when we visited, and it was a hot evening (and we were sweating after a long hilly walk to get there) so they graciously seated us upstairs in the inside patio area which had light air conditioning. Much appreciated and we also appreciated that it was a little quieter than the main part of the restaurant which was loud. Our server was lovely and attentive. She brought some rolls to our table and fresh (and VERY GARLICKY) pesto. The pesto was great. The rolls weren't anything special. Dry and plain. For an appetizer, we shared the Garlic, Pesto and Fontina Pizza. MAN, was this delish! We had to fight with ourselves not to gobble the whole thing down to save room for our entrees. For our entrees, hubby got the Gnochetti and I got the Neon Ravioli. Both were melt-in-your-mouth goodness, although portions were pretty small (almost appetizer small, in my opinion). The pasta and gnocchi tasted homemade and everything was seasoned just perfectly. For dessert, we shared the chocolate mousse which was rich and thick (not airy), but delicious and generously portioned. It was perfect for 2 people. I do have a few criticisms, hence the 3 star rating. First, the cost of a glass of soda ($4) is ridiculous (although refills are free), the noise level in the main restaurant was excessive (I think I would get indigestion if I ate in that room) and the portions for the pasta dishes were too small for the price. In addition, the restaurant tacks on an additional 4.5% fee (on top of sales tax) to "off-set the cost of doing business and government-mandated expenses", which we found quite off-putting and did not experience at other SF restaurants we visited. The food was great, but these issues would make us reluctant to return.
(3)
john m.

It's nice YES it's a tourist trap but my guests loved it and the atmosphere and service helped make up for being a little over priced.
(3)
Nicole W.

Am I missing something? In the heart of North Beach (SF's Little Italy) lies Stinking Rose, a chain restaurant which prides itself on its integration of garlic in every dish. To start off, we ordered the infamous Bagna Calda. Let's be clear here- it was good but nothing that stood out. Essentially its bread rolls with a pot of hot garlic cloves soaked in olive oil. You put the cloves on the bread and smear it. Yawn. For an entree I ordered the black linguini with clams. Again, sub-par food with no creative flavoring. If I'm paying $35 a pop for a pasta dish, it better be tasty! In this case it didn't deliver. As far as the service went, I didn't think the hostesses or wait staff were friendly or accommodating. When my boyfriend's Dad asked for Gluten Free bread (he has celiac) the waiter looked dumbfounded. Reality check: this is Northern California. Aka hippies with money. Besides gluten sensitivity is a huge emerging food trend! Don't go unless you want to buy a stupid Stinking Rose mug to brag to your friends about how much it literally sucked.
(2)
Kelly J.

Mmmm Garlic!!! Enough said! This place was awesome. I think i will smell like garlic for 2 weeks but it was worth it. Had the garlic shrimp and the surf and Turf. Everything made you wanting more. A must try in San Fran. Make sure you are prepared to stink all night.
(5)
Cavin T.

Food:3.5 Stars Ambiance:4 Stars Service:3 Stars Price:3 Stars These are basically mu criteria in a restaurant. You should def ask the second floor if possible, the decorations is much more nicer, more secluded and LESS noisier. The food was good. I love they give us boiled garlics with herbs and breads for compliments...it was such a good appetizer to make you more hungrier for the main course. I had the linguini with garlic. Yes it was good. A bit better than the average linguini that i usually order. For dessert I had the garlic ice cream which was......different, the least to say. I really had mixed feelings with this food because it was garlic! with vanilla so Im not sure if i actually like it or not. The service was really nice too! They would always quickly fill my water whenever its empty and they seem to know their food menu! Overall pretty satisfied. OH BTW you do know that everything here has garlic in them? lol just some heads up cause when youre done eating youre breath will smell pretty bad...but dont worry the candy that they give as compliments will reduce the small of garlic!
(4)
C Y.

Pretty disappointed with this visit that I probably won't be coming back. We ordered the following: Sizzling Skillet with Mussels and shrimps Arugula and Presto Pasta House Salad BBQ Chicken pizza The best dish we've had in this restaurant ever is the Sizzling Dish with seafood and even this time half of the mussels were burnt. BBQ Chicken pizza came out so fast that you know it was pre made. House Salad is just full of Ice berg lettuce The pasta lacked flavor Their service is rush because they want to make room for the next group of people so you don't get to enjoy the atmosphere. This will be the last time I go there and will not recommend to anyone that visits San Francisco.
(2)
Alan Y.

I've been to this restaurant over the last decade many times. Sometimes, we took out of town guests who really loved it. Sometimes it was small family gathering ( less than 10), and other times large family (20) gatherings. Usually the food is just fine - not spectacular, but okay - it's got the garlic thing going for it. This last time was a large family gathering - the service was pretty good, but could be improved. Our waiter/order taker was very good - explaining everything, how it all works, the dishes, specials, etc. The other table staff, not so great but good. For example, since our party was so large, we were on four tables strung together, a bit tight. When we asked for more bread, we were all out, but they only brought bread for one table; each "table" need to ask separately - a simple glance down the table would have revealed everyone needed bread. We had to ask to refill the pitchers of water (since you can't see thru the decanters). They were always responsive and very respectful. A little more training and the service could be great. The food was a disappointment - everything had garlic on it, which is great, but where was that garlic flavor? The "garlic" pork chops was an overcooked pork chop with some garlic on top. The pasta was kind of expensive $24 for a small bowl with cream sauce with garlic. The garlic mashed potatoes was not that garlic-y (maybe because we ate the excellent garlic/olive oil bread first!) The garlic meatloaf was bone dry, except for the little bit of dried gravy on top. The fish was dried (and small) as well. The problem was likely that the food wasn't done at the same time, so those heat lamps dried/over cooked ALL the food. Like I said, the service was good, the food, dried. Don't go with a large party. I don't recall the food being overly cooked with a smaller party. Maybe it's a touristy thing and they don't need to try so hard.
(2)
Jordan S.

We came in last minute my girlfriend was very excited to eat at the stinky rose unfortunately we were both very disappointed I ordered a pizza it didn't have much garlic so I use the appetizer garlic which save the day still not worth $15 my girlfriend ordered some gnocci which had little to no garlic and had a very gum like texture... it was the worst gnocci that she's ever had and it was over priced at $23 the service was excellent though maybe we ordered the wrong dishes but there are other restaurants in San Francisco so we are unwilling to give this place a second chance if I were you I would order anything but the gnocci and pizza unless you want something bland without garlic and cooked improperly.
(2)
Jeanne L.

Despite this being a touristy restaurant, it was pretty solid on the two occasions that I came for dinner. I've tried: # Bagna Calda - garlic soaking in a "hot tub" of olive oil, butter, with a hint of anchovies. I didn't really taste the anchovies that much, but it was delicious nonetheless. There was a generous heaping of garlic bulbs, all soft enough to be easily spread onto the bread. (It reminded me of the garlic bread that Little Star Pizza used to have about a year ago.) # Silence of the Lamb Shank - very tender and of course heavy with garlic flavor. The accompanying mashed potatoes and creamed spinach were on the thinner side (and actually thinner than I prefer), but they served as a nice pseudo-sauce for the lamb. # Pork Chop - crispy exterior. Moist, not-overcooked, tasty. # Steamed Clams - all fresh, and of average-sized meatiness. # Garlic Wine - I've had this a couple times. Let's just say that splitting a bottle between 3 people is overwhelming. Drinking one glass is do-able. After that, it gets awful. Either split a glass with someone else, or eat the Bagna Calda beforehand so that this tastes relatively less garlicky. The check at the end of the meal comes with some chewy candies: Puntini Frutti Assortiti. I've never seen these candies anywhere else before, so I don't know how they're supposed to taste, but they're pretty unpleasant. They are tiny little jujubes that are hard and chewy at the same time, and tend to get stuck in your teeth. I feel like they should do away with these candies in favor of something else. The ambiance is definitely touristy. There's plenty of garlic and wine decor everywhere. Also there tends to be many birthday celebrations here. The servers will sing happy birthday to you and put a plush garlic hat on your head. My final thoughts: Not great as a romantic date place. And you will definitely reek of garlic into the next day.
(4)
Lanie P.

Wow, sadly significantly different than the Beverly Hills restaurant. Starting with the very plain bread no garlic on it all. They don't even place the bread on the flame. The house salad was much smaller. The mashed potatoes did not taste like garlic. And lastly they didn't have that special menu where you can order a steak. Their only saving grace was the acini de pepe had more of a pesto flavor and was delicious as was the mussels on the skillet. Very disappointing visit and really made me appreciate the Beverly Hills location so much more!!! **Hi Frank the visit was 3 days ago Monday evening for dinner. Thanks
(3)
Megan M.

So I thought I liked garlic...but not as much as is required to eat here- take this review with a grain of salt. Overall- total tourist trap- but relatively tasty food for being a trap. The complementary garlic table spread was the strongest garlic food I've had -I needed to water it down the EVOO. I wouldn't go back unless I had to... I've brushed my teeth 4 times and used mouth wash.... Still feel like I'm tasting garlic:(
(3)
Gloria Z.

I love the staff here :) I love the decor. My only caveat is that I've been there twice, and the food is really good but nothing to WOW me because of their use with garlic
(4)
Kathleen N.

Omg, it's like the smell of garlic followed me home because it's been a whole day and I still smell like garlicky goodness! Came here on a Tuesday night at 6:30 PM. We had reservations for 6 originally, but we were late due to heavy traffic and they were still able to accommodate us! When we had a seat, I couldn't help but notice the ADORABLE decor! There are olive oil bottles and wine corks hung all over the ceilings with tea lights to soften the mood. Walls are covered in picture frames and each table has layered melting stick candles on them in italian flag colors. This is a beautiful place! We were first served bread and at first, it was cold. But then they put the plate over a tea light and it warms it up SLIGHTLY. This would have been a negative BUT the garlic oil spread that they have on the table totally made up for it! For our appetizer, we got the Garlic Steamed Clams Tureen, which was probably my favorite dish of the night purely because of the broth that the clams are cooked in! It was definitely a light broth but still stayed true to it's strong garlic taste. It was AMAZING. There was a point where I was sipping on the broth on it's own, that's how good it was. For our main course, I got the Silence of the Lamb Shank and my S/O got the combo skillet. The lamb was unbelievably moist! I didn't think I could enjoy lamb that much! It comes with mashed potatoes and greens, which complimented each other well. But what really won was the skillet. They set it up on a metal rack and they stick a ceramic bowl underneath for all of the shell cracking. Then they pour a sauce on the skillet and it crackles and pops and smells AMAZING. I would recommend getting this only if you are 2 in a 4 person booth because it spatters and sprays back like crazy! But it was well worth it because everything was delicious! the mussels and shrimp aren't overcooked and rubbery and the crab is nice and soft and comes with an addictive "secret sauce". I washed my meal down with a Vampire's Bite, which was amaretto, vodka, midori, OJ and cranberry juice. We couldn't even finish everything because the portions are HUGE. Not even my S/O could finish his skillet and he ALWAYS finishes his food. So the prices may be on the steep side, but you are definitely getting your money's worth. I will definitely be back again to try a new dish! I had an overall fab experience!
(5)
Allan T.

We were quickly seated and we had water (so i don't know about their drink service), but the cups were more or less small. After we ordered, the food came more or less quickly, and we dug in. I had the forty clove garlic chicken, and i loved it. The garlic was placed on the skin and it tasted amazing with the tender chicken. I shared the super sundae for dessert and it was huge but delicious. Long story short, if there's ever a vampire apocalypse, i know where I'm going.
(4)
L Robert T.

We go to The Stinking Rose every time we go to the Bay Area. Food is fantastic as long as you LOVE garlic. Price is reasonable by San Francisco standards and our service has always been fast, friendly and often a bit eccentric, in a good way. It can be loud, but it's not difficult to have a normal conversation or even a romantic dinner.
(5)
Sarah C.

Came here today for lunch with a friend around 12.30pm. It was like half full. They sat us down at a table for four. There were four glasses on the table for water. I looked at them and they were all dirty. The waitress saw that we weren't using the glasses and had them washed. We ordered the Bagna Calda (Garlic soaking in a hot tub Garlic cloves, oven-roasted in extra virgin olive oil & butter with a hint of anchovy. A wonderful treat for spreading on our house-baked focaccia bread. Served at your table in an iron skillet.) It was pretty good but the bread was even better with the garlic radish that was on the table.
(3)
Marie V.

We came here because my sister LOVES garlic. I'm vegan. After extensively questioning the waitress (bless her) I discovered there was absolutely nothing on the menu that was vegan except a dry salad. My sister's food was disappointing. She only ended up eating about half of it and didn't even want a to go box. The prices were pretty high considering the portions and quality. The waitress was nice, but we hardly saw her. I needed a refill on my drink throughout the second half of the meal, and she didn't come back until she gave us the check. The restaurant didn't feel super clean with all the chotchkies on the walls and ceiling. I think this place is getting by on the tourists. If it were a city that required repeat visits, I don't think they'd be able to keep their doors open.
(2)
Heather J.

The Stinking Rose... Meh. Came to SF on a family vacation, and decided to visit the Stinking Rose one night because of a recommendation from a friend back home. It was so not what it's cracked up to be. First of all, my family is Italian, so maybe that's why we didn't think the food was all that amazing. For an appetizer, we ordered the bagna calda. I will say, that was pretty good. For dinner though, we ALL got pasta. There were 6 of us. Not one of us said, "This was SO good!" I ordered the neon ravioli. $23 for that? Come on! The sauce didn't even taste like their was garlic in it, it was so bland. My husband tried it and agreed. Everyone else got Spaghetti and Meatballs and were less than impressed. The service wasn't all that great either. It wasn't very busy when we arrived and we sat down right away, yet our waiter barely came to the table. I had to ask for my water to be refilled, and it took a really long time for them to pick up our dishes, and even longer for him to bring our check. If you want really good Italian food with great service, come to Chicago. Try one of our many, delicious Italian restaurants, that would never charge $23 for bland pasta. Our experience was so disappointing. I wouldn't recommend.
(1)
Kimberly C.

How can a restaurant RENOWNED for garlic not have strands of garlic heads used as decorations? Quite interesting indeed.. Personally, I think I can be just as, if not more creative using garlic in the kitchen. Their dishes are quite American/Italian and "safe" choices. What my friends and I shared: *sizzling iron skillet: large shrimp: Cool presentation..sizzling when it reaches your table after the servers pour some liquid on the plate. Taste-wise, good but nothing outstanding. The shrimp became overcooked/slightly charred when left sitting on that darn grill plate! I recommend flipping the shrimp after a few minutes to prevent burning the shell on the shrimp. The portion size was perfect for two if you get a side or two along with it, otherwise not very filling alone for a meal. *garlic braised boneless shortrib: I'm asian, and this screamed VALUE! A large piece of shortrib was beautiful on the plate. The meat could use a bit more flavor..bland to me, but adding a touch of that wonderful green raw garlic provided on the table was delectable kick it very much needed. garlic mashed potatoes didn't have the garlic punch probably because all I tasted was raw garlic back of my tongue after eating that! The creamed spinach was delish. For this dish to taste good, I recommend having a bit of each item on a fork and then chew. Each by itself was lacking. *bagna calda: felt like this dish could easily replicated at home. It was tasty, but nothing screamed awesome or near orgasmic. It needed salt. I mashed a bit of garlic on my plate along with some of the oil, a tiny bit of green goodness of raw garlic, and then added S&P. (Picked that up from Rachael Ray- S&P). I just wish the foccaccia bread was better. It looked like a roll. PLUS: green (raw garlic) sauce provided at the table, food came out quickly, great service (even helped box my food and were attentive) NEGATIVE: a little pricey, average cuisine IN BETWEEN: Haven't decided if window seating is a YAY or NAY with so many gawkers passing by trying to check out our food or my friends and I. YAY if the men were hot. NAY if they're not,,and also nay for the homeless man that bent over to the front and showed his butt crack to my friends. I missed it .. Almost like comfort food remade to include a powerful dose of garlic. Overall, decent dishes and yes, the taste of garlic still lingers from dinner about nine hours ago.
(3)
Jenny M.

It is unique !!
(4)
Olivia B.

Any garlic lover who doesn't give this place five stars is a fake garlic lover. They put garlic in anything and everything. It's a fun ambiance with many different rooms and fun decorations. There's the big rooms with the big crowds and lots of noise, and the smaller tent-like tables for a cute date night. They have good wine and friendly service, and the longest garlic chain!!! How can you not love this place?! I have been coming here for years and it remains as my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. I have introduced so many people to this place and they have grown to love it as much as I do. EVERYTHING on this menu is delicious! EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! enough said
(5)
Becca S.

Whoever thought up this restaurant is a genius. It's one of the very first restaurants I went to when I moved to San Francisco because, holy cow. An entire restaurant based on garlic? Sign me right on up. As soon as I learned of its existence, I determined it must be mine. And it was. It was about another year-and-a-half before I talked myself into going again, but it was well worth it. Stinking Rose is indeed rather touristy, but not every place can be a hole in the wall. If you're looking for something intimate and without its own gift shop, though, you might want to give it a pass. The first time I got to sit in the back with the booths that were roped off with curtains, and that was about my favorite setting for a meal thus far - but I'm a sucker for stuff like that. The seating in the front is significantly less shmancy, but it'll git 'er done, as they say. Also, you might not want to poo-poo the gift shop. They have quite a few different hot sauces, including the famed "Screaming Sphincter." Ah, the food. What to say about the food? Oh, come on, good people. You know exactly what I'm going to say about the food. The bagna calda is absolutely not to be missed. Garlic roasted until tender, swimming in a sea of warm oil, to be shmeared upon crusty bread, is something you only pass up if you have no soul, no stomach, no brain, no heart, and would prefer a meal of crunchy puppy bones. Okay, maybe that's a bit extreme. But the bagna calda is really quite good. I've gotten their vegetarian lasagna, that I remember being one of the heartier I've eaten, and most recently got the angel hair with fresh tomatoes, olives, basil, and roasted garlic. I'm going to sound a little insane, here, but I actually wish the pasta contained more garlic, perhaps roasted for a little longer. It still had some of the bite in it, which I wasn't expecting, but it was still good. And I found the portion size manageable, while not insultingly small. What I really want to talk about is the garlic ice cream. You should get it. The first time I went, with some friends, we laughed. We thought, "Garlic ice cream? I bet it's terrible! HAH! Let's get it." And then it was really, really good. The caramel sauce they put on top compliments it delightfully, and takes it from sweet to savory. I've never had a problem with service, although you should probably make reservations - it's never a good idea to take a chance with a place that's so popular. I recall both my experiences as being mostly-pleasant, standard dining at a nice-but-slightly-gimmicky restaurant. If you hate gimmicky, this is probably not your place. Speaking of which, don't go to this place disliking garlic and expecting to have a good time. They do make some dishes without but if you ask them for the big guns, expect them to bring it. You will smell like garlic the next day. You will taste garlic the next day. If you're not the type of person to enjoy this, perhaps skip The Stinking Rose. But if you're a garlic fiend, this is a must. Remember, kids - sometimes places are popular with tourists because, well, they're good!
(4)
Rick B.

Menu selection was nice. Good garlicky entrees. Prime Rib is good not great. Chocolate mousse was awesome. Service could be a lot better. -2 stars for hasty, and a bit careless wait staff at the time. I will return to try some different menu items.
(3)
Lor B.

Totally a touristy jaunt but that's OK cuz THE.GRUB.IS.GOOD. The 40 clove chicken was just as good as yelpers claim. The garlic braised short rib was even better. The garlicky olive oil concoction app was also divine. I remember eating here 10 years ago and glad that I have a new experience to look back on. My 70 year old mother even loved the garlic ice cream! Vino by the glass was decent and service was swift. I would come back especially if I'm with other first time tourists - this town has too many hole in the wall dining to take advantage of - but if your fellow travel companions want a guide book type of restaurant - come here. You won't be disappointed. I wish they offered mints instead of mini fruit chews with your bill :)
(4)
Adam E.

Probably one of the most disappointing meals I have ever had in Northbeach. There are a lot of great restaurants in Northbeach. TONS! We were with a group and were trying to figure out a place to go. Someplace fun with a good atmosphere, and open bar, and near the center of the action. So I recommended the Stinking Rose. Sure I hadn't been there in about 10-15 years, but what the hell? It certainly has the atmosphere. And it certainly looks like a tourist trap, and not in the good way. Because I was with a group I had the opportunity to taste a lot of the food. I ordered the babyback ribs. I was expecting ribs covered in a heavy garlic barbecue sauce. Instead, I got unsauced, and horribly under-seasoned ribs, served with pasty looking mashed potatoes and a little dish of barbecue sauce that had to come right out of a bottle. No garlic flavor. Nothing. The ribs did come with a few cloves of roasted garlic on top, but that's it. Gross. Two of my friends ordered one of the pizzas. Now, this is Northbeach, and you should expect good pizza. This pizza was passable, but again, nothing over the top garlicky, and really nothing special. The crust was so-so and the taste was kind of bland. Normally I'd give points for a good sized portion, but who wants a big portion of something boring? Now the drinks were another story. All six of us were disappointed with the alcoholic beverages at the Stinking Rose. The specialty drinks, with their silly frou-frou names, were overly sweet, and really undrinkable. The bloody mary was horrible, and actually tasted sweet, not spicy or garlicky at all. It tasted like something you'd find in the back part of the bottom shelf in the bloody mary mix section at BevMo. You know, when you really don't want to impress anyone? So, was there anything positive about this dining experience? Actually there was. The bread they serve when you sit down actually. In itself it was nothing special. Kind of dinky looking rolls. Again no garlic. However, instead of butter, the restaurant has a garlic tapanade type thing on the table. You can spoon it onto the bread and it explodes in your mouth with flavor. When i first tasted it, I thought that this was the beginning of a great garlic experience. I was sad to find out that it was literally the best part of the meal.
(1)
Tina B.

The food was lukewarm and the service was mediocre. The Raviolis would have been good if they were hot! It was not one of my most memorable dining experiences.
(2)
Aaron T.

Pretty good, but nothing special. I'm a big fan of garlic so that's not why I didn't love this resaurant. It's just nothing special at all. Even the special garlic sauce/spread appetizer that everyone raves about is way overrated. Good meal, but nothing I will do twice.
(3)
Suabot J.

romantic hub and huge portion food. They are not only bid but also taste really good too. We had the steak and crab. First time tried garlic ice cream too, quite interesting.
(4)
Carrie G.

First Chance: It was a weekend when my mom was in town, for some reason we ended up in north beach looking for authentic italian and found this place. Big mistake. We got seated in the back by the bathrooms, gross, instant star deduction. We started off with the bagna calda and it was pretty good, but i don't really think you can mess up garlic in oil. I had to run to go put money in the meter, and when I got back, our food had already come (even though we literally ordered MAX 10 minutes beforehand). Can we say frozen? I can't imagine it took less than 10 minutes to cook rabbit and bake a pizza. It didn't even occur to me until I am typing this review now. I didn't understand what the big fuss was about. Sure, it's a garlic lovers dream. BUT the food is not that impressive, I think it could be done a lot better, although I am not a food snob, I have had rabbit in Italy, so I expected this place to have DECENT rabbit, but it was not, it was chewy, more like duck to me. Based on this first time, I would not revisit the stinking rose. Second Chance: I am not one to tell people no, so after watching a play, searching for 30 minutes for parking, walking in the rain in high heels, oh did i mention an empty stomach, and that I get cranky when I'm hungry, I just wanted to eat anything. So we get inside, our waiter comes instantly to our table, we order garlic bagna and he leaves. We look over the menu, and after the last taste in my mouth from my first experience here, nothing interested me on the menu. I finally decided on a glass of house red and gnocchetti. My friend got the baby back ribs and the other got the lasagna. Our wine came and my glass had lipstick on it, GROSS. We then proceeded to talk about our travels in Italy, we all 3 had been before, and in my mind I was still thinking, WHY ARE WE HERE THEN. But my one friend, absolutely loves this place, and I cannot imagine why. The food is not completely terrible, but it did come within 10 minutes of ordering, again. Bad taste in my mouth before I even tasted the food. The gnochhetti was not horrible, but I was not a big fan of the sauce and that it was accompanied by green beans of some sort. I stil can't wrap my head around why people rave about this place, the service is terrible, the food is mediocre and it is completely overpriced for the quality. Since I have been here twice, the first time I would give a 3, and the second a 1, so average is 2. After a second chances, I am DEFINITELY NOT RETURNING.
(2)
Pratik G.

If you love garlic, this is must-to-visit place We went on October 2012 Good things -Dishes are innovatively garlic made. -Sufficient varieties of food items -Food serving staff was nice and helpful in giving suggestions -Place was surprisingly vacant when other restaurants in same area were pretty over-crowded (we went on Fleetweek weekend) Bad things - No mint/mouth freshener given after meal. Having ate so much of garlic, it was must-to-have - Ambiance is average
(4)
Jason J.

we had an enjoyable evening. TSR has an aisle of curtained booths that are snug yet coszy. While this was awhile back, I recall the evening pretty clearly. The food was good, met our expectations you could say, but more than that we had a great evening and the ambiance at TSR contributed to that.
(3)
Liss J.

If you like garlic you have to eat here!! Great food!
(4)
Robin C.

not impressed. Don't get me wrong I love garlic but that's all this place serves. felt like a big chain place. btdt over it
(1)
Catwoman C.

Meh...like all the other reviews said, this place just isn't worth all the hype when there are so many other (and much better) restaurants nearby in North Beach. The service sucked, the food--while not the most horrible I have ever tasted--was nothing special and overpriced, and the atmosphere was not at all inviting. All of the other reviewers were right---this place is pretty much a tourist trap and one I don't plan on returning to.
(2)
tai t.

I always get the same dish every time I come here to eat because othing else sounds good to me. I wish there were more good things on the menu to choose from. So only 3 stars from me. Zuppa di pesce is my favorite dish. Order it if you like brothy dishes to dip bread in.
(3)
Jimmy J.

I'll try to make this quick! Been here 2 times, once recently and once 4 yrs ago -If you don't like strong garlic taste, don't come here! -40 clover garlic chicken is very good, although I remember last time the portions were bigger - the Pasta: Clam w/ squid dye was tasty, w/ a nice flavor in a light seafood broth, I'm sure they have tastier pastas -Prime Rib was tasty and above average - the complimentary home made garlic spread on the table is one of their main attractions for the garlic lover, really helped my experience - I gave it 4 stars b/c all of the dishes were to an above average. - expect to pay 15-30$(w/o wine)a person unless you got expensive taste. -I got the garlic appetizer the first time, and it was tasty and less potent but the complimentary stuff on the table is just as effective IMO, if you don't mind some more raw potency, and can get STRONG. This rating does NOT include service b/c that is too arbitrary! Most of the time I don't care too much about service if the food is great and the price is is right - try to avoid the upstairs, it was loud not much view, and didn't cultivate good conversation. unless that's what you want. - previously we had a separate room that was secluded by curtains, and that was really nice - this time around, I brought someone of significance and the service was "Stinking"... - girl seemed like a new hirer, I asked her for bread, after she took our order, brought out our main dish WITHOUT the bread. I asked another waiter for bread, he said ok, I said a quick prayer, bread still didn't come, I asked her again and she says, "oh you want bread?" Bread needs to come out before the main course Miss...or at the very least w/ the main course w/o me asking. Our previous waiter several years ago was legit, so i'm not going bash this place for 1 bad waiter. -I don't get the feeling the standards for interviewing waiters are high. So it will be a toss up. Some waiters want to earn their keep and earn their above average tip -4 stars for this place b/c you will get a certain standard, and prices are not cheap, but reasonable for a decent quality meal, NOT a amazing Michelin star meal but definitely above average. Maybe I'll be back another couple years!
(4)
Alison M.

wanted to like the service - everyone seemed quite nice - picked up some pickles for husband who's hospitalized.....could they maybe put it in liquid so that it didn't dry out.....was nice of them to accommodate but i did pay for it....anyway, i wish them well.....just perhaps to get back to the customer service they started with - not everyone's a tourist and, were they, it's not a bad thing.....
(3)
Wong, D.

This was my first visit to the Stinking Rose and yes I left with Garlic breath. The outside and inside decor were nice I give that at least two stinking roses, kidding. When my party entered the restaurant we sat at a table four with a curtain wall behind you so its kind of a more private cozy seating with dimmed lighting. It makes for a nice atmosphere but bring your portable light if you can't make out the menu. I had the BBQ chicken pizza which wasn't outstanding but it was about all I wanted to eat since I had a big lunch. The food could have come out a lot hotter which was a complaint of some others in my party. I didn't have the garlic icecream or any dessert which I've read and hear is good. I also observed some folks ordering it for it takeout as I was waiting up front for the table. They also have an assortment of gifts from sauces to cookbooks near the front entrance on some shelves. Oveerall I would probably try something else from the menu if I came back for a vist and I give the place three stinking roses :O)) Bon Appetit!
(3)
Chuck N.

Pretty simple - love garlic come here, hate garlic run away. As you enter they take you into this tiny little booth that looks something like a confession booth and you have your own little screen and all. The place reaks of garlic, so leave your nice clothes at home or in the car. You'll come out smelling like garlic, not a great idea for bar hopping / clubbing in SF aftewards. We had: Bagna Carta - their most popular and famous appetizer - a ton of roasted cloves of garlic that you dip your bread into.. it's the strongest flavor of garlic I've ever had garlic roasted clams - quite good, juicy and very unique. I liked it. garlic chicken - not bad.. just chicken that's drenched in and out with garlic on top of garlic and filled with garlic Yes, I got tired of the garlic, but I guess that's the novelty here. I'm just not a huge enough garlic fan (like it, but don't love it) enough to appreciate the truth beauty of garlic everything ha.
(3)
dan d.

I figured we should hit this place up while we still feel kind of new. And this way we can legitimately tell tourists whether or not they should bother eating here. I went for some pasta dish and feeling adventurous, I ordered extra garlic. Wow. What a mistake. I'll spare you the details but it took a full 36 hours for my G. I. tract to straighten itself out. Anyway, the food was pretty good, albeit expensive. We got a full liter of "house wine" for $19 which seemed like a pretty good deal in this city. I won't go back on my own, but I won't boycott dinner if I have friends come visit that demand to go here. And one last tidbit, there's a dining room that's set up with a vaudeville vibe. I liked it a lot and my review would probably be a little lower if I had been forced to dine at the standard tourist trap tables.
(3)
The Mermy G.

This place has alot of personality. The ambience is great and the greeters were terrific despite the fact that we had a huge party coming in. They seated us at a table that was comfortable even though we were packed in pretty tightly. We started off with bread and some garlic oil concoction that one of my friends had ordered. It was delicious. I then ordered the Lasagna which was meatless or so I was told and I must say was quite mouthwatering. The sauce was tasty and the pasta itself was very good. I know the rest of my party was very pleased with their meal so I think I will definately come back if not for just the bread and the oil dipping thingy. Overall, good experience, nothing over the top but nothing subpar either. My only complaint would be the service which i thought was slow and they didnt refill my drink once even though I had asked for it.
(3)
Alicia T.

Some friends took me to this place as a surprise. I had never heard of it before and was a bit apprehensive, but boy was I happy in the end. The food was great, especially the garlic spread appetizer. The only downside was that we stunk for about 3 days. I even had to change my sheets because they smelled of garlic. But it was totally worth it and I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Mikey H.

They have rabbit meat, pork chops baby back ribs and of course what else... Garlic! (you can order your food without Garlic) what's the point of going to stinking rose without having a lilttle garlic in your food right? the best thing about stinking rose are those garlic spread that you spread on your dinner rolls. everybody orders them..so you should too. they are cheap. ran out of dinner rolls for your garlic spread, they will gladly give you some more dinner rolls in the house. they are cheap anyways. it's like giving water away.. cheap right? food are alright. it's not (California term "Hella" good. i been there 3 times in my life. The End. p.s... i never did tried the garlic ice cream, but my friend told me it was not that good. i don't know... you have to try it yourself. P.s.s Parking could be a problem because it's right in the smack of Chinatown, lilttle Italy and Strips Club/Clubs.
(4)
Jeana P.

I am a huge fan of garlic and a huge fan of Italian food! My friend suggested this place while we were all visiting San Francisco. The decor is awesome very old school and I loved the pin up style picture on the wall. The booth was actually comfortable. The staff is friendly and helpful. The rolls and warm garlic and pesto sauce brought out is amazing! I could have eaten that all night! I had the ravioli, I thought it was amazing. The rest of my group were not so stoked on the food. I heard the chicken and pork chop were both dry. But both said they would go back. I do agree the prices were a little high. However I have come to except that in any big city. Being from LA my group was stoked just to get a pitcher of beer! It is worth going to at least once, I plan on going back!
(4)
Whitney F.

Ok i have been here many times for my bday. Great place!!! I highly recommend their rabbit. I know i know, dont eat a cute animal, but it's sooooooo delicious. Oh and make sure you come ready to stink, it's not called the stinking rose for just any reason. Try the roasted garlic and you wont be able to stop. They have all kinds of rooms throughout the restaurant so that you get a different feel for it everytime you go. Individual booths in the moon room. Theres the upstairs with is intimate, downstairs has several louder rooms. It's an experience you will come back for over and over!
(5)
Ben H.

Why this place has a good reputation I dont really know. It is a tourist trap. Not that tourists are bad, but generally the level of service experienced in a touristy place is subpar to say the least. The stinking rose is no exception to that rule. The food was decent, but good food always tastes sour to me when I am treated poorly. My girlfriend had the chicken and apsaragus fettuccini (which was well prepared and had good flavor on account of the sun dried tomatoes). I had the linguini and clams. Which was in some sort of creamy pesto sauce. Yum! Service: 10 minutes to be greated, although the gentleman with the slicked back and poofed up hair was able to walk by us four other times checking on his other table of three, all while walking by holding one finger in the air and murmuring "one minute" or "I'll be right back". When he did take our order he was gracious enough to tell me that my meal is good with a different type of pasta. (it was good). Then we didnt see him again until we were ready to pay, but the busboy was very active in taking the waiters job from him. He was the only one that checked on us. I just got the overwhelming feeling that he thought we were bad tippers on account of us being either young, or tourists. We are only one of those things, but we are not bad tippers. Except for this night (15% suck on that!)
(2)
Yvonne Q.

This is the kind of place you have to go to because you're curious. So do it, get it out of your system, and never go back. The decor tries hard to give this place personality that actually exists in more charming restaurants in North Beach. I had my 22nd birthday here. My plate was $26 and sucked. My friend ordered twice, and twice they did not bring her her meal after she waited up until everyone else had finished eating ( i just realized we were rude...but it was a party of 10!)...but i digress... "meh. i've experienced better"
(2)
David J.

Our friend brought us to the Stinking Rose cause it's a S.F. icon. Had a nice time, food was decent, service was good, but I can't honestly say it rated better than a 3 for me. He ordered the signature appetizer for us, the Bagna Calda, "garlic soaking in a hot tub" by their own admission. It was exactly that - a bunch of cloves of garlic baked in butter with bread on the side. It was ok, but to be honest didn't have much flavor and the bread was surprisingly lame. Mussels for my friend, a margarita pizza for my wife that was just ok, kind of mushy crust, not much sauce or flavor, and angel hair pasta for me that was about the same. Why italian joints in america can't figure out how to make a red sauce a la Napoli I'll never know. But it was worth seeing if but only once and at least the little wife-ie will have to excuse my garlic breath for the next week.
(3)
Felecia F.

I love this place! I recently went on vacation with my bf and his parents who flew in from Iowa and they wanted to have dinner in little Italy, and this place popped into my head! MAKE A RESERVATION!!! I cannot stress this enough...if you want a table without the horrible impatient waiting then make a reservation it helps so much and saves a ton of time and stress! It's delicious if you aren't afraid to have garlic breathe for a couple days, definitely get their appetizer with the roasted garlic gloves so delicious. I was very happy and am always happy with this restaurant and I'm really bothered that the negative reviews are so vague, so give this place a chance...with a reservation of course!
(5)
Steve S.

What if there were a restaurant where just about everything was made with garlic -- such is the premise of The Stinking Rose. Start off with a little garlic wine. I tried to get everyone to share a bottle, but no one else was brave enough. The waiter recommended that we NOT get a whole bottle, but I took him up on the offer to taste a glass -- just like drinking garlic juice. Next get the appetizer -- Garlic Soaking in a Hot Tub -- garlic sautÃ©ed in olive oil and butter with bread for spreading. Yum! They also bring out a kind of garlic chutney for spreading on bread. I had the rabbit which was tasty. To top off the meal -- garlic ice cream. It really is good! We had a blast in this place. I went with a group and we had a lot of laughs. You probably wouldn't wanted to be too close to us the next day and all of the garlic propelled by alcohol does make you a bit gassy. Also, the place is a bit pricey. Still, this is a garlic lovers paradise!
(5)
Jeremy B.

Good but not fine dining....garlic=amazing
(4)
Julie D.

Meh, indeed! This is just a mediocre Italian restaurant. Our bagna calda was cold when it arrived. It should be nice, hot oil. Putting it over a tea light isn't going to help. My pesto pasta was OK. The hubby's chicken was so horribly dry. Why put chicken on the menu if you're just going to ruin it? (We won't discuss why he ordered chicken at an Italian restaurant....) Apparently the LA location is better. I hope so.
(2)
Lilah A.

I cried a little to post a lower than average for this place. I had such high hopes that this would be the garlic of my dreams, alas the food didn't even "stink" of garlic little less taste of it. I wanted that garlic to stink all up in my face. *sigh*
(2)
Jen W.

this was my first time back here in over 2 years...and i feel like everything was better than the last time! 4 of us came here on a busy friday night...but we made open table reservations for 4 about 45 minutes before we arrived and were seated almost immediately. 100 points for dining...and vip treatment. haha. josh ordered the prime rib...bff had the shrimp pasta...and wifey and i decided to share a plate of prime rib. we started off with the bagna calda of course. A MUST!!! the bread was super warm and soft...i had to basically sit on my hands so i wouldn't eat anymore! my prime rib was overcooked...i ordered medium and it came out medium well...but the overall flavor was really good. the creamed chard and garlic mashed potatoes were winners though. we were stuffed and decided to skip out on dessert and head over to a gelateria instead. WARNING: eat enough garlic, and you will have lovely garlic smelling gas. it's the unspoken truth!!!
(4)
Andrew C.

if you like garlic... go for it. Love this place, whenever I am in SFO I will not miss it.
(4)
Tony W.

Went here as had heard it was good. Food was fine but nothing spectacular. Friendly waitress and interesting decor. Diner 50/60s music was fun. Garlic spread is pretty strong, fondue starter was good, and the fish I had was cooked well. Desert was decent but again, not spectacular.
(3)
D. M.

Daaamn, I need a breath mint! But the garlic breath is totally worth the visit to The Stinking Rose. I had heard about this restaurant when I first moved to LA, but didn't officially try it until this year in San Francisco. I cannot rave enough about the food. The service was excellent, the dÃ©cor is really cute. They have these little tents over some of the tables to make it more private - unfortunately we didn't get to sit in one of these. Food wise: For an appetizer we had the Banga Calda, which is garlic cloves served in a skillet with hot oil, pine nuts and anchovy. You spread it on their rolls and you are in heaven. They also have this relish at the table that has so much garlic in it, it's actually spicy. I was putting both on my rolls at the same time! For anyone who doesn't like anchovy, don't worry, the anchovy flavor is barely there. I didn't even notice it. We also ordered a Caesar salad. It was pretty good. It didn't compare to the Banga Calda, but in terms of salads, it was a good salad. For entrees we ordered: the Margherita pizza, gnocchetti and lasagna. All really great dishes. The pizza was simple and tasty. The crust was also thin, crisp, but not too crisp. The lasagna was made of vegetables (mushroom, eggplant, garlic, peppers and 3 types of cheese) in a tomato cream sauce. This was really delicious. I was a bit worried that there wasn't going to be enough cheese, but there was a good helping in the mix and the tomato cream sauce added just the right amount of tomato to the dish. The gnocchetti was fantastic! It was made out of garlic gorgonzola, asparagus and toasted pine nuts. My girlfriend ordered this dish. When she left a few pieces of gnocchetti behind, I made sure to gobble up the last few pieces so it was the last flavor left in my mouth. When I go back (and I will) this is what I'm getting. No dessert. No room!
(5)
Gwendolyn K.

Went on New Year's eve. A fantastic meal. The Bagna Calda is a must-have. The garlic clove spread like butter over the rolls. Highly addictive. Last night I had the Caesar salad (while it is quite acceptable,my advice is to not waste your appetite or money on it) and the garlic ribs. My husband had the meatloaf and enjoyed it. My other two friends had the prime rib and the 40 clove chicken. All delicious. Dessert was garlic ice cream (with a mole sauce) that sounds odd but is incredibly good, tiramisu, and a sundae. All are scrumptious and large enough for sharing. My favorite is the garlic ice cream. We had a variety of drinks including an Amaretto sour, a Vampire's Kiss, Blueberry margarita, and wine. All tasty. The restaurant was busy. We had reservations and were seated promptly. The service was okay. Not incredible, but by no means bad. I definitely plan to go again when I'm in San Francisco.
(4)
Matthew K.

I haven't been here since 2004 but I remember Loving it If you Love garlic and good Italian wine you will Love this Place Great Food Great Service Great People Great Garlic Dishes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
(5)
Thuyanh P.

Came here b/c my hubby wanted to eat here...he'd been here once about 5 years ago. We made reservations and was seated immediately. We started w/ the Bagna Calda and a small order of garlic steamed clams. Both were great...felt like the bagna calda wasn't warm enough so dipped the bread in just made the temperature lukewarm. The small garlic steamed clams was so generous for small. More than enough for 2 as a starter. The hubby ordered the garlic roasted prime rib and I got the gnocchetti and both loved what we got. My biggest complaint was the service!! Our waiter was HORRIBLE! After we were seated, he didn't stop by for about 10 minutes. He never introduced himself, took our order and didn't come back for about 20 minutes. He dropped off some more bread for us and then dipped out again. He really ruined the experience for me. I would go back for the food, but I would request another waiter if I got him again.
(3)
H T.

Whether it's Paris, Rome, or San Francisco, I try my best to stay away from touristy spots that provide low quality food, high prices, and poor service. Our group decided to go to The Stinking Rose to entertain some out of town guests - although I've lived in the Bay Area for a few years now, it was also my first time to this establishment. I was happy to see that there were so many vegetarian entree selections to choose from. There were so many that I had to ask for a recommendation from our server. I ended up selecting the ravioli which was filled with potato and cheese with a garlic basil alfredo sauce. I've had a lot of ravioli in my day and this one tasted worse than the packaged stuff I sometimes get from Trader Joes when I don't feel like cooking. Well, if there's bad food, I expect excellent service, and we did not get that here either. They were slow, unresponsive to requests, and did not even bother checking up once during our meal. Thankfully they give you a pitcher of water on your table so we could serve ourselves. Tips: *Make sure your entire party is here or they will not seat you *Stay away from the green garlic sauce on the table, you'll regret it for days! Bottom line, a classic tourist trap - bad food, bad service, no parking and inflated prices.
(2)
Sam S.

R.u.b.b.i.s.h. Service was utter crap. Got the impressive the waiter just wanted to take our order and let it be done with. Not too friendly, just prancing around with his digital notepad to take orders. Got the shrimp & mussels. Not bad but the mussels were a bit small. Enjoyed the garlic butter dip. Garlic prime rib and it was tough and crappy. Lacking a lot of flavor. The creamed swiss chard tasted like a texture warm green tea ice cream. It was disgusting. The garlic mashed potatoes that it came with tasted like it was from a box, so dense and bland. Hell get the Better Crocker Potatoes au Gratin and it would have been better. Friend ordered the clam pasta ... and got lamb shank. My friend was already hungry and just decided to try it out and I'm sure he regrets it because of how salty that piece of meat was. I tried it and almost drank a whole cup of water. It was salty to the extent of sickening someone. My friend's significant other got the portobello mushroom. It was crap. I'd have to say it's somewhere inbetween mushroom jerky and a soggy dense piece of cardboard. Bill came out to what $126 ish before tip. Worth it? No. Worth $50? No. Worth $20? If I'm starving but even then questionable since the service is better at any local McDonalds. Worth a try if you love garlic? No, cut up some fresh garlic at home, simmer it in some olive oil with other spices, whatever/however you want. Just don't go here.
(1)
Addie S.

Poor service. Crappy food. I mean I like garlic and all. But anyone can chop up cloves of garlic and lay them all over the food. Overpriced. I expected more for my money. LA, SF, never going to either one again. First and last time ever!
(1)
Eliot J.

oh, the stinking rose. dracula's nightmare! home of the longest braid of garlic in the world! deliciousness incarnate! the different garlics - the spicy young and the sauteed cloves - with bread were a great appetizer. i had the pasta with heirloom tomatoes - yum! the only thing that was weird was the server, who basically just took our order in a brisk manner and handed the whole table over to the food runner.
(4)
Admired Drunk V.

What a huge disappointment..... I've been wanting to try this place for so many years but somehow something always kept me from doing so up until yesterday. Holy mother of jesus this place is called "stinking rose" not because the garlic they use, cuz nothing tastes garlicky to me, but because the place is filthy dirty. I had to ask the waiter for a new plate, a fork and a few glasses because mine had last nights dinner still stuck on it.... I have no idea why I didn't just get up and walk away the minute i sat down on that filthy table which i also had to ask the waiterr to wipe down again.... trust me when I say don't bother coming here. It's not worn it. One of the worst pastas I've ever tried. I had better pizza at dominos than the ones they serve and i hate Domino's pizza....The only good thing about this place was walking out. DON'T COME TO THIS PLACE WAY TO MANY GOOD ITALIAN PLACES NEAR BY SUCH AS FIOR DI ITALIA OR NORTH BEACH RESTAURANT!!!!!
(1)
Gregory N.

Name says it all, if you like garlic, this is your place. Pricey, but worth it. There are better Italian places in North Beach, but the novelty of this place is worth it occasionally. Gotta get the roasted garlic bulb for your bread.
(4)
Smorga M.

Being a garlic addict I LOVE this place! The 40 clove chicken is fantastic with crispy skin and it comes with mashed potatoes. The ribs are amazing as well but the pasta is boring. I completely disagree with others that it is a tourist trap as they dont have barkers out front trying to draw you in like other resturaunts on this street. Start off right away ordering the banga calda for the bread they bring you...it is fantastic.
(5)
Hany R.

Best damn Shitaake mushroom and Asparagus Italian pizza I've ever had and not to mention that awesome Garlic pesto starter. I had that in 2007 and I still remember the taste. Pretty small menu tho, not much of a variety at least when I was there, but I'd go back for the same order again anytime...can't wait actually.
(4)
Jayne R.

I was doomed to already not enjoy this because I don't like garlic but I went here for an anniversary. The only reason it isn't zero stars or whatever the lowest rating is is because they had good service and a really awesome atmosphere. But yeah, just a heads up, if you don't like garlic NOT WORTH TRYING. Portions were ample and I enjoyed the crab, even though it was doused in garlic. Great experience, just not great for an anti-garlic person.
(2)
Sora B.

Amazing is what I would say! I had "mussels and shrimps" on their signature sizzling pot and it was soooo good. Lots of garlic, but it went well with the sauce or butter they used to grill my seafood. I would def. go back! I made a reservation, so I didn't wait at all for the table, but other people who came after us without a reservation had to wait 20-40min. I had high hopes for this place and it was well worth it!
(5)
Alex C.

05/10/2013 I met two close friends on a friday evening for dinner. I have never heard of "The Stinking Rose", and wasn't sure what the name really meant. At our table, I was told that "The Stinking Rose" is known for their use of garlic in their dishes, hence the "stink". Who wants to smell garlic breath when one speaks: no one! Garlic is delicious, and I think this establishment does it well. I made myself a garlic sandwich from their fresh rolls and warm whole garlic + olive oil mixture: devine! Their drink selection is good, especially their margaritas: my friend ordered the blood orange margarita - she couldn't finish it, and so I did for her: really good! I ordered the gnocchetti: I love anything with asparagus in it, and I also love gnocchi. It was pure delight. My two other friends ordered the (1) pork chop - she devoured it, and it was such a big chop that she took her left overs home, and (2) fresh tomatos pasta - she described it as pizza margherita but pasta: I saw it finished before my eyes: she's a regular. I loved the intimacy of our own booth with (functional?) drapes, however, I found it hard to find the restroom since it's like a maze walking through all the booths - they all looked exactly the same. Staff is friendly, and food is served quick and pipping hot - I want to try the seafood platter next time! How about garlic ice cream - while it's on their menu, not sure If I would try that. Overall, good experience!
(4)
Court S.

So I'm into increasing my pheromones and I read that garlic helps this so its only natural that I check this place out. I stopped here for takeout after my dance class and decided on ordering the garlic butter parsley pasta. I added shrimp for$4.95. It was ok. I've always wanted to stop by here and now that I finally did, I can rest easy. The staff here is friendly and I always love friendly people.
(3)
Sharon C.

Went here on our first night in the city. Heard all kinds of reviews but had to try it for ourselves. We started with the bagna calda...which you just HAVE to do. It is very mild spread on their bread slices...we did enjoy that. The 40 clove chicken was good. I'm not sure I'd write home to mom about it, but it was moist and tasty. The kicker is the price of wine......a whole carafe for 19.99. All in all,,,decent food for a reasonable price..........a true landmark!
(3)
Alysia W.

Came back here just yesterday to give them a much deserving second chance, thanks to their PR rep.. Thankfully we did not have the same waiter as last time so that was a plus right away! We ordered the bbq chicken pizza, gnochetti, arugula salad, and garlic braised boneless beef short rib.. Everything tasted phenomenal and not even two sticks of gum could save my breath after that meal! My favorite thing about coming here is the fresh bread rolls with garlic and parsley spread.. Mmm enough to OD on garlic! Our waitress was very kind and sweet.. The only downfall to this experience was probably the length of time it took them to get our bill to us.. I went to check on our waitress and it turns out she couldn't figure out how to apply my dining voucher.. A manager came to assist her and they still couldn't figure it out so they just deducted the amount from the total bill and had us pay that so they could fiddle with it later..Aside from that minor mishap I look forward to my next visit here!
(4)
Kimberly B.

This review is coming from someone who is not crazy about garlic. That being said, I loved it here. We were vacationing in South Lake Tahoe and decided to drive to SF to spend a day before all our family members met in S Lake Tahoe. We were driving around trying to decide what we wanted for dinner. As we were driving down North Beach we smelled something great, It was the Stinking Rose. I had my doubts since I am not crazy about garlic and this place is know for it! I got the Prime Rib and Hubby got Braised Short Ribs. They were both amazing. We of course had to try the garlic app. and I found that it was cooked perfectly. Sweet and tasy with the bread. (I actually liked it even more after it cooked a little more on the warmer!) We were seated by the window and after a few people kept seeing us eat and not talk a few came in. (I also gave a thumbs up to a couple passing by) :o) It's an experience you have to try if you have not done so. We were too full to try dessert, but there is always next time.
(4)
Stanton C.

3.5 stars for this place. It looks totally like a tourist trap as soon as you step in - a wall of Stinking Rose merch, fliers for their other restaurants, the world's longest garlic braid... Not to mention the place can feel a bit crowded. I do love garlic, though, and I was excited to try rabbit for the first time. That being said, if you're not a huge fan of garlic, you might wanna avoid the place. The food I did have was pretty good. The fresh bread that came out wasn't bad - I liked the garlic chunk dip they had on the tables - mixed with a bit of the garlic infused olive oil, salt, and pepper, and it was pretty good. The rabbit was actually pretty tasty. It came with (of course) a handful of whole garlic cloves, olives, and some garlic Yukon gold potatoes. The meat was tender and made me think of a mix between chicken and pork. I think the only bad thing about the whole experience was the eminent garlic hangover the next morning - be sure to brush your teeth and use mouthwash a few times in the next 24 hours or no one will want to come near you. =P
(3)
Jessie C.

Oh boy! A restaurant that puts massively large amounts if garlic in everything, how is that not perfect? This is the ultimate place for garlic lovers. Next time I go I shall build up the courage and try the garlic Ice cream... Might I just add, wine and garlic are a great combination.
(4)
Fewd E.

7/17/10 (written late, but true): 2 or 3 stars, which should I choose? I've been here before and loved it! If I would have fetched my food myself this time, I would have loved it again. Food pretty good (meatloaf yes, gnocchi no). Atmosphere fun and garlic garlic garlic! BUT: One of my worst 3 services ever (I may have used that phrase more than 3x). She greeted us benignly after about 8 minutes. Begrudgingly and slowly she brought wine and took our order. After that, it was everyone else doing the work -- filling glasses, delivering food, clearing, etc. I literally saw her stand in the middle of the dining room to type on her pad that sends orders electronically. Maybe we smelled bad or had "bad tippers" written on our forehead... OR likely she feels too secure in her job! By the end, we were joking along with the table next to us about how horrible she was... Sadly, she earns a mint. Prices are high enough and the back of the house worked their ass off for the unpleasant space cadet. It is a time when tips should have meaning rather than just being a formula. It kills me to drop her $30 for 3 trips tableside. If we can't drop below 20%, how can she ever gain insight? So, we left 10 (suckers) and a note explaining why.. :-)
(3)
Van N.

I love The Stinking Rose. I recommend the dungeness killer crab and the clam turteen. The rooms are festive and fun. Only thing is that space is a little tight. The Stinking Rose is a good place to eat with friends and family. Or you could test the comfort of your relationship by whether your significant other mind that you smell like garlic. I highly recommend this place!
(4)
Ronald N.

THE STINKING ROSE ROCKS! That's all I could say. Best food and nice environment.
(5)
Adrienne G.

Let me start out w/ the fact I haven't been here for something like 13 yrs - I thought I was totally over the whole novelty of this place .... & then my coworker selected Stinking Rose as his #1 choice for our Team Dinner & I'm thinking, ugh, okay... but WOW - what I've been missing all these years! Drinkys were Blueberry Margaritas & man oh man was that thing strong. After 2, I was loopy as all get out (shhh, don't tell my team). Sour from the Margarita part of the drinky but then you get the sweet action from the Blueberry Liquor - Sweetart for sure! Appie of course had to be the Bagna Cauda - many had never had it before & it was funny seeing all the reactions & questions as to how to eat it. I was like, you mean you've never had roasted garlic?! How could that be?! (It's a staple in my household & an easy-A for pot luck dinners) I didn't indulge in the BC however b/c it has anchovy but their table garlic pesto was more than an adequate substitute - fresh hunks of garlic all spread on their garlic rolls....yum! You got the bite of the fresh garlic combined w/ the sweet, cooked garlic on the bread - heaven! Meals were all over the board - ranging from the Lamb to the Angel Hair Pasta, to the 40 Clove Chicken & everyone was commenting on how delish their meals were I had the Gnocchetti - which is a miniature version of gnocchi - paired in this Garlic Gorgonzola sauce w/ Asparagus & Pine Nuts. The gnocchi was tender & mushy - which is exactly how I prefer it; the gorgonzola was pungent & cheesy, the asparagus was green & crunchy which was exactly how I like it & they totally didn't skimp on the pine nuts Too full for dessert, we were all breathing fire, stinking up a storm & loving our dinner to pieces! So lesson learned - do not overlook that which you have taken for granted.....it's officially reestablished - I'm A Fan!!! And yes, we all did still have garlic breath - even 2 days later
(4)
Jen T.

I really love garlic so I decided to try this place out. When you come in, it reaks of garlic. The smell takes a little bit to get used to actually. So for an appetizer we ordered the mussels and the specialty the garlic in the tub thing. Both were delish. I love the garlic in the tub. I mush up that garlic and spread it on everything, including the mussels. For an entree my friends and I split the chicken and asparagus pasta and the lamb shank. Both were really good. The lamb was tender and was barely gamey. The pasta was really light and flavorful. The pasta was cooked perfectly. I used some of the garlic tub and put that in the pasta and lamb. Overall a very good meal for a great price. The decor was cheesy but I guess that is part of the ambiance.
(4)
Jurgen J.

I don't get why people are bashing about this place. I've been here twice and i enjoyed both experience. I have to say the crab is not the best, but the roast beef was really good. It was juicy and tender. Other things were also not bad, i had the roasted garlic appetizer. Maybe people should just stick with the roast beef?
(4)
heather b.

I was not impressed with this place. The food was mediocre and the prices were high and our waiter was less than personable. There are many fabulous Italian restaurants in North Beach that I see no reason to pay extra for a name. My impression was this is where the tourists go. I got the portabella caps which had a tomato next to it indicating it was vegetarian but tasted like it was grilled on a grill that had just cooked a steak. My husband got a tenderloin which was just OK and a little dry. Our friends got the ribs and chicken and their son got the kids spaghetti. No one at the table was "yum, yum"-ing or oohing and aweing at the food. When we went to Bocce Cafe around the corner it was all we could say while eating. My advice is to walk by the place take a peek but go to any of the other fabulous restaurants in the area.
(2)
Amanda R.

I loved this place. Went a few years ago all I remember was it was packed and I loved the decor. The booths with curtains make your meal very intimate. I had the 40 clove garlic chicken it was YUMMY!
(4)
Ben T.

We decided to visit as we had a Stinking Rose cookbook. We made it a distinct spot to visit as we thought it would be fun. The place was crowded and we got seated in a area next to the bathroom stairwell. Every so often we got a whiff of urine which suggests unclean bathrooms. We asked the maitre-d to give us another spot, and after waiting was given a space which was separated by drapes. This was a complete drag as someone from the adjoining draped area kept shoving their chair through the drape into my back. So bad that I had to visit the adjoining booth and tell them to knock it off. The food came out slowly, the appetizers were tepid vs hot suggesting they were nuked up and forgotten. The meal was forgetful and definitely oily. The waiter seemed apologetic. I kind of felt sorry for him as I am sure what I experienced was not an unusual happening at this disgusting destination.
(1)
Karen S.

as a fan of garlic, i was going to be pleased with the food. The decor is cluttered old school (cork curtains, etc). Service was good (not great). I would have preferred some crustier or heartier bread with the garlic in olive oil. Not sure if i would go back but not a bad place to try.
(3)
Tara H.

The Bay Area is jam packed with amazing food choices. So many, in fact, the choices can become overwhelming. Though there's always that one place that ends up on the "when you're there you must eat here" lists, even though it really shouldn't be on that list. Stinking Rose, I think you're that one. Overall, our experience here was REALLY hit and miss. it was like a giant tease: one moment we were feeling great to be there, the next we were ready for the exit. This inconsistent flow was really hard to form any type of love/hate relationship with the place, leaving me feeling full but not totally satisfied. I guess it was more towards the hateful side, since I won't be returning. Our reservation was met, early in fact, and we were seated without any waiting. Bonus points there. They were ready and waiting for us to be seated, making our reservation the most graceful thing about the night. Mistakes happen. They do, and my boyfriend and I were really okay. I feel sorry for the waitress who had the accident. However just before our first sip, wine glasses came spilling out of her hands, crashing on our table and into my purse and lap. It was an accident, however, and an unfortunate one, but a very jarring way to start the night. Our order and appetizer were placed there after with a delayed delivery of our food...but no Bagna Calda to be found. It wasn't until we asked about it was it brought out. The waiter was nice enough to comp us for the appetizer, thankfully, but we weren't certain that us being satisfied was a huge priority on his list. The food was way over priced. My prawns and fettuccine was just ok, comparable to something that I could make at home. There was a lack of flavor, and a lack of pizzazz. For an almost $20 dish, I was certainly expecting more bang for my buck. This considering there was a cheaper, superb seafood pasta dish at a competitor near by that I passed up for this meal. I'll go for that pasta dish next time. I recommend the appetizers and going just to say you went. However if you're looking for a more amazing meal, I'd say stay away from this touristy joint. Give the rest of SF a try.
(2)
Skylar S.

I love and hate this place and I'll tell you why. I love this place because if you grew up on Korean/Italian food like me, you know you must eat and love your garlic. Garlic is not only tasty, but it has many health benefits. Garlic makes all food better. Garlic makes the world go around. You get where I'm getting at? From dipping oils to entrees to ice cream, everything at this place is garlic heaven! Garlic lovers! If you can't wait for Garlic Festival, then this is the place for you! Entree+ dessert will set you back approximately $35-50, but for the food+service+experience = completely worth it. The food, the ambiance and the service was very good each time I went. I can't be more pleased. That said, here's why I also hate this place. I remember on that fateful night of Summer of 2007 as if it was yesterday. My friends and I went to Stinking Rose to celebrate my beloved friend's birthday and after dinner, we slowly made our way to Montgomery Bart Station in San Francisco. Lo and behold, for the first time in my life, I see this magnificent creature standing in front of me, his long tress singing with the wind, his delicate body clad in classy black velvet jacket and tailored black pants. He was beautiful and the moment our eyes met, time slowed, the crowd parted and I really heard James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" play in my mind. 2 problems followed this scenario: 1. My stinking garlicky breath which prevented me from actually approaching the person. 2. My overprotective guy friend who put his arm around me while glaring at the love of my life. Til this day, I've never since experienced another butterflies in stomach and til this day, I've never experienced an attraction as strong and in my mind, all I can think is, 'DAMN YOU, GARLIC BREATH!!!!' STINKING ROSE!!!! HOW I LOVE/HATE THEE!!!! But I'd still go back to this restaurant in a heart beat. Just bring the love of my life back! I'll approach my love, garlic breath or not!
(4)
shannon l.

The review is more like a 2.5 stars. We had a meal here once and have not been back. The 40 garlic clove chicken was dry and had very little flavor. However, we did leave with the smell of garlic in everything we wore and we had the smell coming from our pores for several days. I thought this place was like a tourist trap.
(2)
Eric R.

Good, garlicy dishes. Fantastic apatizers and interesting desserts. Main courses are expensive for what you get. I would not rush back, but it is fun for the novelty and the experience.
(3)
Michael J.

The food here is fantastic. The garlic hot tub is a must. You use the garlic cloves like butter. Absolutely delightful. The service here was fantastic. The meal was expensive, but the service was to the level you'd expect for the price. This place is truly an experience to behold. I don't know there's anything I can write to do it justice. It would take the talent of Hemmingway to really make a worthy stab at it. He could write an entire novella on just the decor. I will try to visit here every time I come to SF. I'd skip breakfast and lunch to use my entire per diem to have a meal here.
(5)
Beekay M.

I really loved this place, but wow, the smell of us all later.... :-) Agree it's a little bit gimmicky, but our party of 4 loved sitting up the back in one of the 'tent" booths and had a great time. I'm 'vegequarian' but went the full veggie route, and my selections for entrees whilst limited were super tasty. Probably overpriced for a portobello mushroom, garlic mash and a couple of carrots for $18.95 - but I'll be back. My co-eaters were impressed with the generous size of their ribs, rabbit and surf & turf so no complaints there - we were stuffed full. I'd say it's definately about the garlic and meat here, not so much the sides that come with the meat. One star off for absolute confusion by our waiter at the door, for not knowing about gluten-free options for my friend (most of the menu is, but we were told that it wasn't, and they couldn't really ask for us, as the kitchen-staff "couldn't speak english"!!) But our waiter was lovely, and we managed to communicated just fine!
(3)
Djamila D.

Delicious, great for novelty and ambience.. take it easy on the garlic though! it's easy to get carried away!
(4)
Ryan K.

BAGNA CALDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the garlic prime rib was great too.
(4)
Becky F.

Despite my intense love for garlic, I'm disappointed to conclude that the Stinking Rose has become a restaurant that relies on its reputation. While the concept and decor still make this a fun and gimmicky experience, the service was inattentive, and the food was uninspiring, especially considering the price. Our garlic bulbs soaking in a hot tub were not soft and spreadable as they should be, the house salad was missing a garlic zip, and the overwhelming flavor of the crab was salt. The most flavorful, garlic-filled bites were courtesy of the little pot of green garlic spread on the table, now that kicked up the rest of the meal! And of course, you can't forget the garlic ice cream with caramel mole, I think it's what brought me back to the Rose for a second time in the first place. I just love the bizarre contrast between the rich, creamy Mitchell's ice with plenty of decadent caramel, and one of the most prominent garlic flavors of the meal! Be sure to share- it's quite large and you probably don't want THAT much garlic ice cream. But it's a must try. Birthday spoiler: They did also overload me with dessert by bringing out a tasty piece of tri-layer chocolate cake and wishing me a happy birthday "little stinker," so that was also a fun part of the experience. If there is a next time, perhaps I just need to go in a different direction with what is ordered.
(3)
Thibaut L.

The restaurant was OK. Food is good, but the room is very noisy and smells garlic (but this what you are looking for when you enter the restaurant... ;D ). I had a pleasant meal there, the wine was good and waitress OK. I recommend
(3)
Amit G.

Ok, so I tried this place because the concierge at the Ritz Carlton recommended it to my friends. It was only a short ride from Nob Hill. I am so glad we went there! This place is a garlic lover's delight. From roasted garlic appetizers to my garlic and parmesan laden entree to the dessert. Yes, there was no way I was going to be at a restaurant that offers garlic ice cream, and not try it. Yes, I know what you're thinking. Garlic ice cream? it's more like vanilla ice cream with garlic powder. However, it is oddly delicious. I had intended on just having a taste, but believe you me, I finished it all. It was actually the perfect way to end the fabulous meal. Bottom Line: Don't miss out on this restaurant.
(5)
Saige O.

went to san francisco for business and stumbled upon the stinking rose. the blueberry margarita...excellent! the bagna calda "garlic soaking in a hot tub" a wonderful treat for spreading on their house baked focaccia. The salmon with cherry tomatoes, roasted Garlic cloves & calamata olives with garlic mashed potatoes...delicious! if you love garlic and you're not afraid to smell of garlic, then you'll love this place.
(5)
Mike F.

I've heard good things about this place, but with all the raves, I was a bit disappointed. This was the second time I've been here, and I was left with the same thought, "Is that it?" The food was as you expect, full of garlic, good (but not great). Both times I was there, I left hungry. Overall good experience. The service is good, really impressed with the decor (it was different, no vampires in the building), but the food was just okay.
(3)
Linh P.

Wanted something crazy and different so I tried the RABBIT and it was actually pretty good. Service was very bad though, we waited and waited for our server... Restaurant was super packed so maybe that's why we received such horrible service? Hopefully she was new and just getting to know the spot. For the price of the food, I would expect better service...
(3)
Jason S.

First off let me say that I do love garlic and if you don't this probably isn't the restaurant for you. I have to say I loved it. Everything was very good and some things where great. When I read the reviews on here I was a little worried. Lots of comments of dry and overcooked dishes. But there where lots of other highly positive reviews. I think the kitchen must have some bad nights. We went on a Monday and it wasn't very busy so maybe that's the secret. We had the bagna calda to start which was good but wasn't great and wasn't like the traditional bagna cauda which it's modeled after. It was hot and easy enough to spread. I ordered the salmon with tomatoes, olives, and garlic and my friend's had the lamp shank, chicken, and pork chop. Out of the four the lamb was the best. Buy everything was well prepared and not dry. I did have to add salt and pepper to my dish and it was a little pricey at $20 but it was worth it and I'd go back. The service was very fast and the $15 pitcher of premium beer was a good deal.
(4)
Katelyn W.

The service was less than satisfactory and the food mediocre at best. I think the place is a hot spot because of the atmosphere and garlic theme...you will be burping up cloves for the next week! Loved the ambiance and decor but that didn't make me feel any better once the bill arrived. The waiter we had was slow and not very personable. Our friend's oysters were over-cooked and the fish my boyfriend ordered was unseasoned and bland. On a positive note, my pork chop was pretty tasty but the portions were quite small considering the price tag. The garlic spread was the best part of the meal by far. Go and check it out if you're in to garlic and gimmicks...but I've definitely experienced better food and service elsewhere.
(2)
Marty S.

I have been to the Stinking Rose several times over the years and have always had an excellent experience and outstanding food. For me the Pork Chop is where it's at. The seasoning and crust seared onto the chop is beyond description. The service is efficient and friendly. The decor is kick ass classic for the type of restaurant and part of town you are in. If you need to entertain someone or a group of friends this is a spot that won't disappoint. 5 out of 5 stars for sure. Enjoy, Marty
(5)
Andrew C.

OMG GARLIC. GARLIC. AND MORE GARLIC. THIS PLACE IS BASED ON GARLIC ! oh man this place was a place to remember. upon arrival to the restaurant, they had a quite interesting decor which included, of course, garlic. Gives you more of an italian restaurant feeling in a way, from the layout. On the table, they have a small jar of FRESH chopped garlic and spices. On their menu, they have this roasted garlic dish.. It was called the "Bagna Calda", which is pretty much garlic cloves, roasted in the oven in extra-virgin olive oil and butter, served in a skillet with focaccia bread. This dish wasn't what that had killed me. Its the small jar i mentioned before on the table that i was totally addicted to.. that i added on top of every bite... raw garlic + stomach thats not used to it... oh man heart burn... burn so good.. HAHA ! had this with a nice cup of cappuccino on the side was a nice afternoon tea/snack . Be fore warned, you will be burping garlic all day.... hope you don't travel in an enclosed vehicle like a car... they will smell it (oops...?) besides these few things, majority of their menu is garlic based. almost every thing had some sort of garlic prepared in it.. thats not a bad thing. i love garlic and use it a lot in my own cooking at home. be prepared with a strong stomach or dont be stupid and use so much of that raw garlic stuff on the table, and you should be fine. on the side note, they have a little store at the entrance that has a lot of garlic stuff too.
(4)
Brittany H.

ok, I am a garlic lover. love it. really. If you feel the same way, give this place a go whenever you feel the need to breathe garlic breath on anyone within a 2 mile radius for the next 3 hours. Take advantage of the lovely garlic concoction they place on the table for the garlic eating rock stars. The very large pitcher of water they place on the table to quench whatever garlic induced thirst you have isn't too shabby either.
(3)
Mihai M.

Place is great if you like garlic. (just make sure you don't fly the next day) I had the "silence of the lamb" dish and it was good and garlicky. Didnt try the garlic icecream. Place is small and tables are crowded, but so are most places in San Francisco. Prices are kinda high.
(3)
Randy M.

Honestly after all the talk and hype of this place I finally ate there tonight with 2 very dear friends and well not all that impressed . Sure the place smelled like Garlic of course but the drinks not all that great nor the prime rib which I paid 35 bucks for was barely a taste of garlic unless I ate the cloves attached to it . The beard and butter with the garlic relish on the table was the best part :) My friends had the oysters ! which was huge and well he was totally impressed by his dish , and the fettuccini in garlic which they said was good as well . So maybe bad choice in me doing the prime rib but i figured why do something I can make every day have something that I do not which was just that ... for the 117 plus 20 bucks cab fair each way plus tip honestly not worth it for me when I have places like Fable and spaghetti factory in my hood ...That's just me :)
(3)
Alissa N.

So I went here a year ago and found the best prime rib ever. I came back a year later and it still is the best prime rib ever. I'm currently looking for a prime rib even close to this one in Houston. Service sucked but I just love their food.
(5)
Ryan G.

Love this place!!!! I love garlic, and the people at the Stinking Rose know exactly what to do with it. This is perfect for adventurous tourists that want a true SF experience. The service was great, and the decor was eclectic and as garlicky as decor can be. (I'm serious! They had a massive garlic braid on the ceiling and garlic murals galore!) Appetizer: Bagna Calda AMAZING!!! Must order this!! The appetizer is cloves of garlic roasted in olive oil and seasoning until it becomes a steaming bath of garlicky heaven! We smeared the cloves on our bread, and it was out of this world! Entree: Garlic Chicken Simple chicken breast grilled with tons of garlic! The chicken was great, and there were enough garlic cloves on the plate to eat one clove with every bite of chicken. The garlic mashed potatoes were great too, creamy and delicious. Desert: Garlic Ice Cream I really really really wanted to love the garlic ice cream as much as everyone else did...but I couldn't. The ice cream is smooth and tasty until the garlic taste hits you. The ice cream wasn't "bad" but I didn't like the feeling of having garlic breath from cold ice cream...it was a weird taste sensation.
(5)
Vanessa D.

Delightful decor with a stinky and delicious centerpiece for your meal! We came here about a half hour before closing, nevertheless, our service was great. We got the bagna calda, which is an absolute MUST for garlic fans. Roasted cloves in a bath of olive oil, ripe for smearing over the bread it is served with. Other menu high-lights: Silence of the Lamb Shanks... Now, this could easily have gone all wrong, funny name, hard to resist, but how good could it possibly be? Ours was absolutely amazing, super tender, perfectly cooked, simply melted off the bone. The Italian meatloaf was just so-so, I am not sure if I had blown out my palate with so much garlic from the bagna calda, but it wasn't very garlic-y. It was a good meatloaf, but did not blow my mine. And finally, if you have nothing else while you are here, you have got to do the GARLIC ICE CREAM. If you have been to the Gilroy Garlic festival, you've had this before and it will change your life. Sweet vanilla as the forward flavor with a savory garlic finish. I could eat the stuff all day every day! In closing, definitely a fun and funky place to check out if you are cruising through SF and/or love garlic. I recommend sticking with more simple dishes (totally would not order rabbit from here, for example) and expecting a novel dining experience rather than some earth-shattering French Laundry-esque cuisine.
(4)
Noah Mark B.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. This one just plain stinks! Swear away the Bill Comptons of the world (and your spouse) after a night in a restaurant devoted to garlic. Save room for the vanilla / garlic ice cream.
(4)
Ed C.

Garlic. More Garlic. Even Garlic ice cream! We've visited twice now and I have to say we've consumed enough garlic here to ward off the evil spirits for the rest of our lives! Seriously... that's all this place is about. First impression: We walked into the place and were lead down narrow corridors to a "booth". I envisioned being on a gypsy caravan train... that's what the booths felt like. Curtains draping, dark, candle-lit, gypsy colors. Interesting..... then you realize the candles are electric or battery-operated ones. Hmmm....... We read the Yelp reviews here and started out with the Bagna Calda... garlic simmering in butter, the cloves so soft that it spreads easily like cream cheese on the bits of bread provided. Good at the start, but gets old fast. Next we tried the steamed mussels. They were somewhat average. Garlic yes, but not impressed. The Garlic Roasted Prime Rib was similarly underwhelming. It was cooked well, but lacked punch. Garlic ICE CREAM??? Uh... sure... why not. Surprisingly, it was disturbingly good! I kept thinking, "I can't like this", but kept going back for more until it was gone. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this place. As a gimmick, it's definitely different... but food is average and price point is pretty high. I was open enough to try this place twice... would I go back a third time? The answer is a definite..... MAYBE. I'd go back as a gimmick outing with friends, but not for the food. Maybe the garlic ice cream...... (did I really say that?)
(3)
Jack C.

The food was excellent! But our server lag of customer service lose a star in my book. Have to try the Garlic Ice-Cream by far one of the best Ice-cream I've tasted. Long story short about our horrible server.....We have to keep asking for things so it was not provided accordingly, and personally when your paying a slightly above average price in a restaurant you'll expect a better service.
(4)
Alexa X.

Interesting decoration. But the food is only okay and overpriced. Don't order its rabit dish as it's overcooked and not tender. One should only go there for the novelty and not the food, unless you are a garlic lover.
(3)
Mindy C.

GARLIC ERRRRRTHANG! I've always heard great things about this restaurant, saw a bunch of friend's check-ins so i decided to take my family visiting from Seattle here. Let's just say if you are not a garlic lover, or with the slightest dislike towards garlic, you might as well walk your way outta door. Because you will breathe garlic, eat garlic, soaked in garlic, see garlic EVERYWHERE and reek of garlic for days! Especially don't come here right before a night out or drinks with friends (which is what i did), gums and perfume are not going to help! FOOD - very delicious. ordered clams iron skillet of shrimp and mussels Black linguine with shellfish I don't like pizza, no offense but the most memorable thing is the garlic dip they give you with the garlic bread! OH EM GEE - it is amazingly good! it has garlic, EVOO, parsley, etc. i literally wanna pour this dip on every food I order! I wanna take it home, i want to bathe in it! haha! The best part is, the server could tell how much I am obsessed with the dip, he gave me a postcard/flyer that advertises the restaurant and on the back of it, there's the recipe of the dip!!!! I've tried it at home plenty of times, it is amazing with everything! Clearly, I am a garlic lover. The garlic ice-cream is to die for! I'm not complaining about reeking of garlic, i just wish i had it at a different time where I didn't have to go out to polk st and drink with my friends. Even chewing a pack of gum ain't gonna help you get rid of the garlic. My friends immediately guessed what I had for dinner (some guessed boiling crab, too). It is hard to find parking here but there's a parking lot near the area (near a police station couple of blocks away). Bon Appetit, my garlic lovers! xoxo
(4)
Magic M.

Why oh why did we go here? When in SF, Italian food is the way to go, but it's so hard to decide which place. This led us to this restaurant after an exhaustive search along Columbus. We had been here years ago and were disappointed, so I don't know why we went again. It was really nothing but blah.
(2)
John S.

Was out at the RSA Conference and stopped here with a party of 20 for dinner. It was busy and despite our large party they did a great job keeping up. Cioppino was very good and bread with the garlic cloves that you mashed into them were excellent. I drew the line at the garlic ice cream though one of our co-worker loved it. I would definitely come back.
(4)
Roman G.

Stopped in from airport while traveling. Franchino was closed so we checked this place out. Glad we did. Brilliant food. Had a beautiful halibut dish. Wood fired pizzas looked deadly. Will be back for one next time.
(5)
Katie J.

A must visit while in San Francisco. Come hungry, be ready to eat lots of garlic and bring breath mints! Overall a fun experience, good ambiance and reasonable prices.
(4)
Zach W.

I used to live in the SF bay area and The Stinking Rose had been one of my favorite places to eat. It seemed unique, special, a wonderful place with great food when I was in the mood to have a nice dinner in the city. When my girlfriend and I decided to take a day trip to San Francisco, I immediately thought of the Stinking Rose as the perfect romantic dinner to end our day. It didn't turn out that way. I've been here a number of times, but it's been a few years. We were able to make reservations online ahead of time, but that turned out to be about the only positive for the evening. We ordered the famous Bagna Calda -- spreadable garlic cloves soaked in butter and olive oil -- and waited for it to come. And waited. While we waited for our appetizer, one of the staff was carrying too many wine glasses and accidentally shattered them all right next to our table. Glass everywhere. We sent the water pitcher back, and the waiter seemed surprised why we would want to do this. I suppose the fact that glass and ice cubes look so similar never occurred to him. At no point was any mention made of comping us a portion of our meal. The food took awhile to show up. The wait was probably even more noticeable because our appetizer never showed up. It did, eventually, but not until we were halfway through our meal and not until we reminded our waiter that we had ordered it. I had the baby back ribs, my date the prawns and fettuccine. Both were good, but not great, and certainly not worth what we were charged. To be fair, they didn't charge us for the Bagna Calda, but that seems like such a small favor considering when it came and that we had to ask for it again when we did. All in all, I'd say that if you've heard so much about the Stinking Rose that you just have to go, then by all means go so that you can say you did. I hope you have a better experience than we did. For myself, I won't be going back. The food was okay, the service was okay, but both should have been MUCH better for the prices. There are many, many places to eat in the city; this one seems to have become a tourist trap. Save your money and find somewhere else to have your next romantic, fancy dinner.
(2)
Mark C.

First timer & was pretty good. Big fan of The Dead Fish (same owners)..love the menu choices. BOMB!!
(4)
Gary R.

Went this evening with my wife and two boys(19 and 23). I have now been to this restaurant two times -- the first and the last. We had the lasagna, the pesto fettuccine, the angel hair pasta and a salad. We are still tasting the food three hours later. The food did not taste great the first time. I will not go back.
(2)
Jonnathan B.

I love the Stinking Rose. I've been to the location in LA and couldn't help but stop by this one. As always, the food was amazing and the service was excellent. A great find among the many great restuarants that SF has to offer. Definitely a recommended place for all garlic lovers, even if it's a date night (just don't expect a kiss after...haha). The usual suspects that I don't miss out on include: bagna cauda, 40 clove garlic 1/2 roasted chicken and the garlic ice cream. Words cannot describe how amazingly good they are, so my word of advice is "try them for yourself!".
(5)
Chris L.

Love this place. Parking is tricky but it's down the street from the police station parking lot (closes at 10p on the weekdays). We had reservations and got a window table where we could people watch and it was private. Jackie was our server and she was awesome and attentive! The staff is really exceptional here. She had great recommendations for wine and brought us more of anything BEFORE we asked. She's THAT good. We ordered the Bagna Calda, which came out less than five minutes since the server inputs everything electronically. It was great service. We got the cioppino (small) for two of us and the clam black noodle linguine and both were delicious. I would not hesitate to recommend this place to everyone and it's always packed here. We got the garlic ice cream for tastes and it came in this huge portion. It was ok but not our favorite but at least we tried it!
(5)
Ann H.

If you want something special this is the place to go. Porkchop and shrimp and mussels are the two dished I will definitely order.
(4)
Susanna H.

This place is disappointed to start with the silver wares were super dusty n dirty on the table. Secondly, the foods don't taste good and the rib was overdone. Overall, it's a terrible experience.
(2)
Debbie E.

Loved it 14 years ago, and loved it this week! The free garlicky parsley pesto was wonderful, as well as the cioppino.. Who says you can't go back?
(4)
Jen V.

We came here for my boyfriends birthday & I have to say we all had a really good time! We got the garlic in a bowl appetizer and it was all really tasty.. For my entree I got the neon pasta, and I really enjoyed it as well. I swear I smelled like garlic for a day after eating here, but if you're a fan of garlic food, I suggest checking this place out! :)
(4)
Diana B.

So I came here a while back and boy this place was packed. We had to wait a bit but it was so worth it. I freakin LOVE garlic! The restaurant is super cute with all its whacky decor. We had the yummy garlic appetizer in the black hot pot, so amazing, that I am salivating right now. Everything was deliciously garlicy!
(4)
Sahar J.

I've been there couple of times and I love the place. If you reserve a table you'll have a nice, semi-private one which is awesome! And the food...., oh! I love garlic and I love that their meals include lots of that. Specially, that special garlic sauce on the table which you serve with bread is more than delicious!
(5)
Meiko P.

Yet another hit! Stankin Rose as we call it- is awesome. If your not a garlic lover, then this place is not for you. Babe ordered the crab for two, and I ordered the 40 Clove chicken. Both dishes were so dayum good! We shall return sooner than later. Our new spot!
(4)
FoodCritic F.

Many people from the East Coast had recommended this place. The food is good but not great so don't have high expectations because people have been telling you. Cute place though! Fresh bread with garlic & olive oil mixture was the best! For the appetizer we ordered Garlic Spinach Fontina Fondue which was okay nothing special. My husband had the crab with secret garlic sauce which he said was okay again nothing to rave about. I on the other hand had Lasagna, which was very bland. I was very surprised to taste the lasagna bland since this place is pure garlic and would think it would have tons of it. There was hardly any taste of garlic in the Lasagna. I had to dump the entire garlic olive oil mixture to my lasagna so it wouldn't taste bland. Overall, it is a okay restaurant.
(3)
Michelle D.

I can never get enough of this place and no, I don't care that I reek of it when I leave The Stinking Rose because it makes me that happy. There. I said it.
(5)
ben c.

Like most establishments like this one, it was good at one point or another and then fame, fortune and laziness got the better of them. Now, it's simply horrible. the Garlic is still good. I ordered the surf and turf with crab and prime rib. The rib was decent but the crabs weren't fresh, dried and awful tasting. All the other dishes my friends ordered weren't spectacular either. such a disappointment.
(1)
Alyssa C.

Amazing! My boyfriend took me here before we went to the giants game and all of my expectation were exceeded. Our server was funny and sweet. We were sat in one of the private booths with the curtains which was romantic. The chandelier above us was beautiful as well. They start you off with warm bread and a garlic and olive oil dip, kind of like balsamic and olive oil at other restaurants. Our food came out quick once we ordered. I don't remember what my boyfriend had but I had the 40 clove chicken and potatoes and yes, there was 40 cloves of garlic with my chicken...I counted. It was so yummy and juicy and garlicky. The potatoes were creamy and rich and delicious as well. I will absolutely come back to the Stinking Rose and try other dishes!
(5)
Melanie N.

I am so disappointed to be giving this place only 3 stars! This was one of those places I have been dying to go to since moving to SF, so I may have had high expectations! The atmosphere was adorable, we sat in a room laced with cork garlands, which I thought was pretty cool. The food was pretty good, though may be a tad over priced, I had the ravioli and my boyfriend had the prawns. We also shared a bottle of wine. All would've been a great experience, if not for our waiter! We were sat immediately, which was good because we were starving, but our waiter did not appear for 10 whole minutes, not even to say a quick 'Hello' or 'I'll be right with you'! By the time he came around, we were ready to order and had some questions about the menu because this was our first time here obviously. While we were ordering, he kept looking off behind him and off to the sides like he was distracted or needed to be doing something else. Now, normally I would shrug this off if they had appeared busy, but it was a Thursday night and I could count the amount of table he had on one hand. When our food arrived, he checked in once and then we did not see him again until we had paid. Our bus boy however, was great and totally made up for our waiter's lack of service. We felt obligated to tip him instead and gave him numerous compliments! I don't know if I would go back, there are a ton of better places in the bay area.
(3)
Tuan T.

Came into this place a week early for mother's day. The wife been want to try this place. So I made time for this. Cool looking place. Steak was great! Cooked just how I like it. But sadly this place needs to a wash/dust down. My dear 20 month old son can not talk but was "eww'ing" at all their dusty decoration. Cup wasn't washed thoroughly. Dish could be washed better, walls, & table in the booth could use one. If you all know babies, they don't lie!
(3)
Brad P.

OMG!!! This place is way over rated.:( Chef Tony in a can is better than this joint. The staff is wonderful but the food is awful. Pasta came out cold and clumped together like a hockey puck. The sauce was like licking a salt shaker. The fish was tough as nails. The appetizer- Tomato garlic over bread tasted like wet bread with marbles. Don't come to this place. Go down the block to the US Cafe or Michaelangelos. Or even better---stay home and order a pizza from Pasquales. Brad Pitt
(1)
Rolando F.

I had 16oz steak and a pepperoni pizza Stake had more fat then meat! Presentation was sad at best. Pizza was ok. Wouldn't come back. Overrated!
(1)
Rachael S.

The short ribs! And spinach garlic fontina fondue. Fabulous.
(5)
Alicia W.

Should have believed people when they told me this place was not as good as it use to be.... because it really wasn't all that great. I made a reservation for 8 at 8:30 and waited about 25 minutes to be seating... which isnt the bad part... the bad part was the hostess not being of much help. I asked her "how long will it be?" and she said "I don't know, we are just waiting for a table"... she doesnt even give me an approximate time or if the table is finishing up or not. Ok. To the food... For the appetizers I ordered the Garlic in a hot tub and roasted garlic bulb, which are both for putting onto the bread that they give for free. The garlic in a hot tub was pretty good, i think it was better than the roasted garlic bulb because it was softer and it did not have the skin stuck to it. But what was the best, was actually the FREE minced up garlic that was already on the table.... because it had this really strong garlic flavor, which was amazing when you put it on the bread. we thought it was funny that the free stuff was better than the stuff on the menu. I ordered the meatloaf and my boyfriend ordered the seabass. I did not really like my meatloaf, because it did not have much garlic flavor(either that or the appetizers we had was too overwhelming that we couldnt taste garlic anymore) and it was extremely salty... you really really need the mash potatoes that came with it. I tried a bit of my boyfriend's seabass and it was really good, also not much of a garlic flavor but it was well cooked and very light. My boyfriend really liked it because he wanted a light meal.... BUT later, the pearl pasta started expanded in his stomach and he felt like he was going to explode (he is such a drama queen) The portions here are huge. When I saw my meatloaf, i knew i was not going to be able to finish it. And the portion of our friend's food were huge too, especially the prime rib. They give out a very very thick piece. To the desserts. So it was my boyfriend's birthday, so they gave him a free mousse cake and bought giant candles with it and sang him "Happy Birthday." My friend and I also ordered garlic icecreams.... which is also really huge, and we wished we just ordered one. The garlic ice cream is ok, it does not taste like the one that I had when I went to gilroy for a garlic festival. This one has too much vanilla in it and they also put caramel in it too. But there is a garlic aftertaste. Honestly... the Mousse Cake was much better than the garlic ice cream... Overall, this place is ok, you should try it at least once. If I were to come back, it would be for the bread and the free minced up garlic that is already on the table... and the mash potatoes. 3 stars for the birthday cake and song...plus one for the amazing bread...but subtract one for the unhelpful hostess, subtract another for no garlic in entree = 4 stars.
(2)
Michel K.

I absolutely love this place! As an out-of-towner, this is a restaurant I need to go on every trip to San Francisco. Probably the best thing about this restaurant, besides the spreadable garlic cloves they give you with bread, would be the small Italian candies you can grab on your way out... totally unique and a wonderful way to end your meal there!
(4)
Jane L.

I would have been 4 stars if it weren't for the service. I arrived a 5 minutes before my lunch date and the host told me they only seat when all of the party has arrived. So I took a seat and waited. There was another few people there waiting for their party to arrive. They had five people, but when four were there, she seated them. What? It was pretty hard to flag down out waiter. We actually had to grab someone else's waiter, who then told us he would get us out waiter. Lovely. We had a bottle of wine and after being told the corkage fee, the waiter still had to run off looking for a cork screw. I had a meeting to get to and I certainly was anxious to order so we could get our food as soon as possible. We had the chicken and asparagus pasta and the meatloaf. I really liked the meatloaf and had wished I ordered it instead. I loved the gravy. The pasta's sauce was flavorful and just had the right amount of salt. I could have done without a shower of pine nuts though. Just a sprinkle would have been great. In the time that I was there and from when I left, there were only a few tables with people. But it still took about 30 minutes to get our food. I wish that I would have been told there needed to be extra time for the meatloaf. We ended up scarfing down the food, even though it tasted so good. Maybe I'll give this place a try again when I'm not in a hurry.
(3)
Tiff C.

Super cool atmosphere- out of this world flavor. Just so very, very fresh and delicious.
(5)
Taryn M.

With nearly two thousand reviews, there's not much else that can be said about this place. I just wanted to pass on a few words of wisdom... Do yourself and any friends who might be in close proximity the next day a favor and do not get drunk the night you eat at the Stinking Rose for dinner. I learned this the awful, awful, hard way. Suffice it to say the next day, I felt like a rotten clove of garlic steeped in vinegar. The worst. Just one more thing: this place is a San Francisco novelty, but not worth the wait or the money. Or the way you'll feel and smell the next day.
(2)
Doc V.

I dined in at this place almost 4-6 years ago, but, always remembered it because the food was good. Interior has a rustic feel to it, but, that's what gives it character. The portions are not that big, but, flavor is all there, so it makes up for what it lacks. The place can get pretty busy, but, it's a nice size restaurant so, it's not so bad. Parking is not that great, though. Don't even think about street parking. Otherwise, you'll be wasting gas and time, and eventually, you'll die of starvation! I don't know when or if I'll return to this place, but, I pretty much gave it 4-Stars because it's located in San Francisco. I LOVE San Francisco!!! Who doesn't???
(4)
Yun W.

Great experience for garlic lovers and obviously not recommended for first dates. Overall, appetizer and desserts were worth it, but the main courses were kind of a letdown given their prices. Came with the boyfriend on Sat night and ordered: Bagna Calda (garlic soaking in a hot tub) - 4 stars - ( yelp.com/biz_photos/the-â€¦ ) This famed appetizer is good if you like cooked garlic and goes well alone or with bread. However, if you like the sharper taste of freshly minced garlic, the dip that comes out with the bread is just as good as an appetizer. Sea bass with cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic, and calamata olives - 3 stars - ( yelp.com/biz_photos/the-â€¦ ) Unfortunately this dish was not up to par given it's price of $19.95. The sea bass did not taste very fresh and was awfully bland. The cherry tomatoes and olives worked well, but the garlic felt like it just didn't belong and they were just putting in there for the sake of having garlic with every dish. Rabbit roasted with olives and a extra virgin olive oil garlic tomato sauce - 2.5 stars ( yelp.com/biz_photos/the-â€¦ ) The rabbit was kind of a disappointment - undercooked and bland. It came with mashed potatoes on the side. For $24.95 I definitely expected more flavorful meat and more attention to detail in this dish. Garlic ice cream with caramel mole sauce - 4.5 stars -( yelp.com/biz_photos/the-â€¦ ) highly recommended and definitely a highlight to the meal. The service was good given how busy it was. We were seated in a normal table near the front area where it was somewhat cramped and loud. However, there were a lot of nice booth seats in the back, which may have been a quieter area. For ~$44/person after tax and tip, I would consider this a try-it-once-for-the-experience type of restaurant, and recommended it to garlic loving tourists who don't mind garlic-overload, but it is not a place that I would come back to regularly given the quality of the main dishes.
(3)
Ramki K.

Food is decent, but i feel that they are expensive. They do give you extra bread if needed! The place is nice and the service is good too!
(4)
Kris T.

Came in with the wife last night while we were out hanging out in the city. I have heard rave reviews about the place, likewise I have also seen some poor ones on yelp... Overall I was pretty satisfied with our night here. We first started off with the bagna calda like so many others... the blend of oil, tender garlic and just the right amount of anchovies/sardines make this for a truly wonderful starter... the garlic just melts as if it were butter! We then shared the garlic, onion, potato, pastry soup. I liked this dish as well, however I felt it was a little bland in the garlic department, otherwise it was flavored well. The pastry layer on the top level was delicious. It was browned a little too much in the center for my liking, but it was a good experience nonetheless. On to the main courses: my wife had the 40 clove garlic chicken. It was tender, very garlicky, and had literally 40 cloves of garlic on the side. She really enjoyed the potatoes as well. I had the surf and turf, and I got a "Slab" size prime rib. Let me say, that for $67 dollars, I have high expectations for this meal. Overall, I was very, very pleased. The crab was coated in a garlic butter sauce, and was cooked very well. My prime rib was medium rare, and this piece was huge! If it weren't for price (I think house of prime rib is a better value, imho) this would of been in the top 3 prime ribs I had. We finished off our meal with garlic ice cream. It had a caramelized coating on it and was very delicious. I usually get this stuff at the Gilroy garlic festival, but what they had here was far tastier. Service was pretty good too. Out hostess was on top of things and kept bringing the glasses of wine all throughout our dining experience. I would love to come back here and try the mussels!
(4)
Gabrielle V.

Overrated......my mom visiting from Vancouver, Canada wanted to come here. It was okay......but with all the choices in San Francisco, I wouldn't rate this as a "must try" experience.
(2)
Jonathan M.

I visited the Stinking Rose tonight with 10 other servers and bartenders, I have heard of the restaurant and have been dying to eat there and finally got the opportunity for a colleague's birthday. Jaquelyn (sorry if spelled wrong) our server was FABULOUS, so attentive, the dinner could not have gone better. She knew every answer to every question, and was more than attentive. We joke sometimes because as young servers/bartenders when we go out in a group, we get pre-judged and servers assume because we are younger looking we aren't going to tip or whatever, this was so not the case tonight. I am so glad the birthday girl picked your restaurant, I really want to give praise to our server, she really made it a great night for all of us, her enthusiasm was contagious and something I will bring back to my own job. Thank you for a great dinner. The food was REALLY good too :)
(5)
Jerry Y.

Love Garlic? Crave meat? have a taste for seafood? Well you've come to the right place! Pro: - Food is amazing! Though you do have to be a garlic lover in order to fully enjoy the food since I think everything on their menu have it. I recommend the surf and turf (prime rib and crab). The appetizer bagna calda, which is a garlic on a hot pan that makes the garlic into a spread... it is amazing to eat it w/ the garlic bread that they have! Be adventurous and try it!! - Service is pretty good. The waiter came by to refill water and have funny stories about garlic lover customers. Very friendly and gave me a s-load of napkins when i ate pretty messy crab! - Have a great variety of wine and beers that compliment the meal. They also have hard liquor as well, so good place to relax and have a drink Con: - A bit pricey for what it is, especially the alcohol. The food is to be expected since it isn't a fast food and you're getting CRAB! - restaurant is on the small side, so wouldn't be good for big parties. Which is too bad since i would love to have a bday dinner here. - As mentioned before, if you're not a fan of garlic then this place is a bit of a wash. You can probably ask for non-garlic, but why not go somewhere else? Overall, I crave meat and want some garlic goodness, this is the ONLY place i would think to eat at.
(4)
Helen L.

For lovers of all things GARLIC! Not the most authentic Italian, but the "combo" platter here has taken my business away from The Crab House. They're linked restaurants so maybe it's all good. The "combo (mussels, clams, and crab on a sizzling platter)" here is very similar to that of The Crab House and The Franciscan, but of course, it's drenched with garlic. What I love about the combo most at this location is that sauce they use to cover the crab...using the crab's own hepatopancreas. I probably shouldn't have mentioned that...for those who have never ventured to that area of a crab. It sounds gross, but it's truly delish! No one's asking you to scoop the innards out of a crab's body, just try the sauce. Anyway, another honorable mention would be the "black linguine with clams." The drinks here are mild, but that doesn't bother me. I'm there for the food...and the fresh garlic/parsley/olive oil concoction present at every table for your bread.
(4)
Shana W.

I lost count of how many times that I've been here and I've never been disappointed with the food or service. I made reservations through open table, which is great!!! We got seated right away in the celestial room, one of my favorite parts of the restaurant to dine at. Our server greeted us right away and immediately had water on our table and had asked if we wanted to start off with a drink and appetizer. We ordered a bottle of pinot noir and the Bagna Calda!! One of my favorites every time we come to the Stinking Rose....Bagna Calda is A MUST. My boyfriend ordered the prime rib and I ordered a garden salad and the 1/2 pound crab. We really enjoyed our meals. What I highly recommend if you're in the mood for crab.....crack open a lot of the meat out of the shell of the crab, dump it into your garden salad, one word for you AMAZING!!!!! We will definitely will be back for more :-D
(4)
Chi N.

My friends and I all came here with a semi-large group (15 people or so) for my friends' bday, she's a self proclaimed Garlic-Aholic. We had a reservation, but still had to wait a good 10-15 minutes. Parking sucked too, but hey, its Frisco. When we finally sat down upstairs, (dude, that place is like a maze.. and kind of a scary one too.. I thought for sure I'd trip and fall on my face, luckily I was only SLIGHTLY drunk, so no falling for me!). The place itself is cute, kinda of kitchsy, with murals all over the wall, with tiny little garlic people.. (I swore we saw one garlic guy flipping us off.. not sure).. We ordered appetizers for the table, a few orders of the Garlic Steamed Clams (mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmÂmm), the Lousiana Shrimp (pretty good), the soaking garlic, and the asparagus. We all ordered a dish..I love fish so I had the halibut cooked in the lemon caper butter sauce.. I typically don't like capers, but I usually can just pick them out.. BUT.. my dish just.. was NOT good. The fish was dry.. the sauce was bland.. it was just a limp dish.. I could've just stuck to the appetizers. My sister's dish was pretty good though, she had the prawns pasta.. I ended up eating her dish and made my BF finish mine. (haha, yes I'm one of those girls). Overall.. it was ok. The service was great, the atmosphere was fun.. the food was good, just not the dish I got.. but I guess my friends and I were expecting to be knocked over with garlic.. we just got nudged.
(3)
ChiMama A.

Went w/ a bunch of my girlfriends and we all enjoyed the food. We started off with the bagna calda, which was really good. Since we had 5 girls, they gave us an extra plate of bread. I ordered the black linguine w/ clams, and it was delicious. The dish was loaded with clams and the portion was perfect. So why only 3 stars? Wells 2 of us had to leave in the middle of lunch to feed the meter, since the meter all around that area had a 1-hr limit and 2 bucks/hr, so we asked the bartender for change. My friend gave him 3 dollars and he gave her 2 dollars in coins and 1 dollar bill back and tells her that's all he can give her. He didn't explain why and we just assumed he was short on change so we walked to the gal by the door to ask for change. She decided to give us a lecture about how they get a lot of customers and they need to give them change for parking too, and that if we needed change we need to go to the bank. Uh...excuse you? I told her we came in different cars so we need 2 more dollars in change, so she finally gave me my 8 freakin' quarters. Seriously...wtf? I've never been treated this way at any freakin' restaurants. If they get asked all the time about change, then why don't they keep a few rolls of quarters around for their freakin' customers? It's called providing CUSTOMER SERVICE..apparently this place sucks at that. I don't think I'll go back....there are PLENTY of good restaurants to choose from.
(3)
Dee d.

The first time I went here, I was a new foodie and was excited about the garlic menu. The food was good but nothing to rave about. My sister wanted to go there, so a second trip was in store. I ordered something different and again, good but nothing to rave about. I have since been to many restaurants that hold the mighty garlic in high esteem, and so when I compare their food to the Stinking Rose, the SR fails.
(1)
charmaine M.

Bagna caldo served cold & barely cooked Water lukewarm Waitress no personality We were tpld by a few locals that it was awful and it was. 40 clove chicken was cold. We had to ask for everything to be heated/ cooked again. If they spent as much time on decor as cooking it might be good. This is one of the worst dining experiences we have had. I dont know why we even paid for our dinner it was so bad.
(1)
Sabrina B.

I ate the juiciest pork chop of my life here. I still remember it. Great fresh apple sauce on the side too. *drools*
(4)
Deanna B.

My family is a huge fan of this place (my mom even bought me their cookbook!). Finally visited the restaurant for the first time a few weeks ago. The food was very yummy, I'm a huge garlic fan too, which is a must to eat here! My husband got the rabbit and I got the garlic roasted crab. It was all wonderful! I highly recommend their cookbook if you don't live near SF, so you can replicate their awesome dishes at home! I'm a huge fan of the banga calda, and even made their garlic-parsley spread as soon as I got back home to AZ.
(4)
Christine P.

Stopped here for dinner one night during a trip to San Fran - came highly recommended by a friend. "You'll smell the garlic from the street." I thought she was exaggerating, until I was standing on the sidewalk waiting to be called. Group of 6 waited about 25 minutes to be seated, but it was so worth it. We were seated in two booths across from one another. Each booth had curtains around it - that reminded me of a circus scene or a Britney Spears music video. There is garlic hanging everywhere, and there's garlic all over the menu. Their motto isn't "we season our garlic with food" for nothing! The food was great, the ambiance is fun, and it's definitely a unique experience. Even if you're not a crazy garlic person... you need to check this place out. I hear there's garlic ice cream, but we were too stuffed by the time dessert came around to brave it.
(4)
Helen V.

I ordered the garlic spread...Nothing spectacular. I love garlic but it didn't add the full amount of what I would expect garlic bread to be after adding on the spread. My friend ordered the ravioli in alfredo. Ravioli was not cooked enough and hard. Alfredo was ok but more on the bland side and needed more sauce in the dish. The rolls were decent though.
(2)
Cynthia A.

A restaurant chain devoted to one of my all time favorite flavors: garlic. Garlic permeates the appetizers, main courses and even dessert here. They're all about the garlic - you see the longest garlic braid snaking the ceiling, lots of garlic novelty items to purchase including "Got garlic?" Tshirts, shot glasses and bottled sauces. Restaurant itself is a decent size, ask if you can sit in the more intimate area of the restaurant instead of the popular side, this place gets really loud and rowdy, makes you feel like you're at a dive bar or something and the seating's too tight. I had to circle my way around the dining area to get to the bathroom cause I couldn't cut across. By the way, the bathroom's are gross. Let's talk about food. There's pizzas, pastas, skillets, seafood and roasts on the menu. Most dishes are around $20 with the exception of their garlic prime rib and crab dishes. They range around $30 - $60 + . Would've loved to try the prime rib, but I'm in a penny pinching situation and opted for garlic clams w/a side of pasta instead. Next time though I'll try the rabbit! The garlic clams were not bad, not the best that I've ever had and not very garlicky to me.. beautiful green color to it though. Everyone gets a small skillet filled w/garlic bulbs, olive oil and I believe a little anchovy. Smear that on ur bread and its delish. My friends had the short rib. I'm not the biggest fan of short ribs, and I didn't feel the garlic flavor was infused enough into the meat, but they all seem to like it.
(3)
Leilani Q.

SIDE NOTE: If you ever head down to So-Cal try the SR there..its mighty magnificent there too! Based on the food alone (Im writing this 2 years later) Had the 40 clove garlic chicken in So-Cal. It was the bomb! The one here..not as much. But it was still decent. The mussels were killin it!! SOOOO BOMB. I will come here just for this since its closer 2 home, & will give the 40 clove garlic chicken another try. So glad my hubby loves me no matter how stinky my breath is after eatin all this stuff! :D
(4)
Eric E.

I heard this place was great. My family of 5 people went there. Service was great, restaurant smelled great and I was prepared to have a great meal. Plates were $20, thought it would be good. We started with a sizzling steam platter of shrimp and muscles, okay, not bad. Bread was also decent. The main course was a disaster. The food was over cooked and bland, I really thought there was going to be some flavorful garlic but it never happened. Halibut with lemon caper garlic sauce tasted ok, but not enough garlic, and it was mushy not firm like fish should be. The rice was good. The rabbit was tough and inedible, we could of gotten a refund but I thought I would give it a try the next day, still no good. Pork chop had no flavor. Sorry, won't go back and don't recommend.
(2)
Lien T.

I missed out of the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, so I did the next best thing! I went to the Stinking Rose!! This place is truly a great place for GARLIC LOVERS!!! They don't take reservations here, and when i arrived, there were people waiting outside the door. when I put my name down for a table, the wait was surprisingly short! only 15 minutes!! The complimentary bread & garlic onion dip was one of my favorites! We also started out with the bagna calda that was suppose to be their specialty appetizer. it was really good! I got the sea bass in rosemary garlic & asparagus. it was so delicious, buttery soft, and full of flavor. My bf got the pesto pasta, which i thought was very plain. it could have used some kind of meat. it had nothing but fettuccine pasta and pesto sauce. We both did not enjoy it very much. the portion was also very small. it didn't look like an entree meal. i would definitely come back to try their 40 garlic chicken , short ribs & their prime rib! i Hear it's delicious!!
(4)
C. P.

THIS PLACE IS DISGUSTING - DO NOT EAT HERE. We gave it shot after eating at the one in L.A. several years ago. It's overpriced and undercooked. Our meals did not taste like garlic, it tasted like funk. It is arguably the worst meal we've had in the 2.5 years we've lived in San Francisco. What a waste of time and money. I don't get why this place is so popular. It's so gross!
(1)
Jeff H.

Overrated. A tourist trap. I heard good things so my family went there on vacation. Of the 5 of us, only 1 enjoyed his meal (pasta). The rest said "fair" or "bad" and two meals were only half-finished. The service is efficient but not friendly. There was no "welcome" or explanation of the history or cooking style. We were not pleased, will not return on future trips, and do not recommend.
(1)
Judie H.

You must love, not just like garlic to come here. I'm a garlic lover =) The green sauce the give you in the beginning is SOOO good. My fiance told the waiter and he came back with the recipe to give us. WHAT?!?!?!?! When I made it at home, it was really really good, but just not the same because I hand chopped instead of using the food processor =T The Bagna Calda was OH so good. I think just eating that would have satisfied me. We had the 40 clove garlic chicken. It was cooked perfectly, crispy skin with tender meat. We also had the boneless short ribs which were alright...not steller. We were totally full after that. I wish I could have tasted the garlic ice cream but man oh man my tummy was begging me stop. WARNING WARNING: Next day you WILL smell. Don't have anything planned like a interview, date, or anything important where you have to make a good impression. Take the day to sweat it out please before you punish people with your stank. Exercise to quicken the sweat and take at least 2 showers.
(4)
Suzanne V.

I came here for the first time the other night with friends and really enjoyed it. Yes, a little hokey and touristy but I love garlic so I can't complain. I tried the fresh tomatoes pasta which had toybox tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic cloves, what appeared to be fresh pasta and parmasean grated at the table - very nice. The servers were fast and attentive. I liked the garlic spread at the table but probably would have liked it better had it been a little more pesto-like- the minced garlic was so overwhelming, pretty much the only thing you could taste with garlic, despite all the parsley and basil swimming around. I probably wouldn't come here for anything other than a garlic craving but for that, it def. hits the spot. Just remember to bring some altoids. P.S. I don't give two shits if a place is a "touristy" spot, if it's good, it's good. For what it is, I thought this place was pretty good and it's nice to stroll the North Beach area afterwards and slay people in their tracks with your garlic breath. ;)
(4)
Jonathon C.

Ok guys here we go... Food was actually good had the mussels, 40 glove garlic chicken and no complaints....The fresh bread you get is great, but wow you have to like garlic to enjoy the spread that is with it. Our server kinda sucked, he just stood off in the distance waiting to see if we needed something, we never did, but never checked on our food or drinks (you get a pitcher of water to fill your own water cups). The atmosphere is great, it was private for us, we went around 8pm Sunday night, so not busy at all! I would go again if we had nothing else to go for... Nick Huntsville, AL
(2)
Andrew H.

The locals seem to love to sneer at this place; I'm a tourist in SF, and it's always been A-OK to me! I don't come into the Stinking Rose expecting some sort of Italian dining revelation; I come because I like garlic, I know what I like on the menu, and it's always delicious. Get the tureens. Don't go above a small size unless you're sharing with multiple people. Between this and the bread, I don't usually need to order an entree. The garlic relish you get with your table bread is fantastic. Put it on everything. There's no dish here that suffers with more garlic.
(4)
Lily K.

It's a fun place to try! I love garlic and they definitely know how to use it! please check out my food blog for a full review with photos!
(3)
I had an unforgettable night here and managedto smell of garlic for 2 days afterwards! As the name suggests this is a garlic themed restaurant, and they sure know how to put garlic in absolutely everything! The meat is flavoured with garlic, as is the fish and the pasta'sbeware the garlic dipping sauce and bread at the tables when you go in. Eat that a bit too much and you really stink! I went with a couple of French people and even they were astounded by the amount of garlic. Well with the exception of one of them, she couldn't get enough of the garlic. This isn't a restaurant I would recommend for a first date but the food is good, price is fair and it's memorable to say the least.
(5)
Chris C.

My wife and I went here on our first night in town while on business and even though it is a trendy restaurant we really both liked our meal at the Stinking Rose. Once you enter you cant miss the smell of garlic, yummy! And the cheese bread they give you with the side dish of garlic, parsley, and olive oil to dip the bread in; you can eat three plates and still be craving more! I ordered the cheese and potato ravioli and my wife had the halibut. Both meals were awesome and very reasonably priced. Together the meal was $40. I highly suggest the Stinking Rose while in San Francisco, unless your a vampire!
(5)
Caroline R.

This place probably deserves three stars, but it gets an extra star for one especially delicious dish that will bring me back again -- the Zuppa di Pesce tureeen. My boyfriend and I ordered a small sized one as an appetizer, but it should have been our meal. Mussels, fresh crab, calamari, fish and shrimp all swimming in a crazy-good, garlicy red sauce. From now on we will get a bigger size and that's all! I also ordered the Angel Hair Pasta with fresh tomatoes, which was pretty bland and something I could have made at home. My boyfriend got a steak and he said it was really good. My suggestions: -Skip the "Garlic soaking in a hot tub" -- it's not as good as it sounds -Order the tureen -- it could be the best thing on the menu.
(4)
sabrina b.

The Atmosphere Great the food stinky, yes stinky. I ordered the Vampire Bite to Start, but there really wasn't any bite at all. I thought well lets go all out and I ordered the crab but it was covered in the is brown gravy/ dirt sauce that was just unbearable after the first couple of bites, couscous on the side it just wasn't the best. Now they did have this wonderful garlic spread but be very careful a little goes a LONG way. I say go in check it out but don't stay for long
(2)
Magi Y.

It's really stinky!! But the good type... It was really hot in the summer when I went. The bad thing is they don't have AC. So, we sat near the door which made it a bit better. If you sit in the back without any AC or air... it might be unbearable especially with the smell. Food was good. I want to go again.
(4)
lisa f.

I wish I would have read the reviews before I came to this stinking restaurant! I listened to my friends when I first moved into the city who had told me great things. I stepped in with great expectation and left with the worst dinner at a really high price. The waiter was rude, the food took almost an hour, and the food tasted horrible -like it had been sitting out for a while. When I asked the waiter what went wrong all he could tell me was that he could reheat our plates and he also got on the defensive when I told him it took an hour to get our food. I wish I would have dinned and dashed! I hated that place more then I hate getting dental work done. PLEASE DO NOT GO HERE IT IS SERIOUSLY A TOURIST TRAP!
(1)
Betty S.

Came here for lunch today with my coworker. We were debating on where to go, and she suggested the stinking rose. I thought since I hadn't been here for a long time, I said sure why not! All I remember from the stinking rose was that basically you will end up smelling like garlic..but hey..im at work with no one to impress...who cares! We got to the restaurant about noon time, and was seated immediately. There was no one in the restaurant..but it could because but i don't think this is a popular spot for lunch anyway. Anyway, they do not have a lunch menu - just their regular menu so i could see why people wouldn't come here for lunch. A little pricey just for lunch if you ask me. They give you warm rolls that you can dip in the green garlic sauce with olive oil that is on your table. It's VERY garlicky so beware! We ended up ordering the meatloaf that came with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and chard ($18.95), and we also ordered the chicken and asparagus pasta ($17.95). The meatloaf was surprisingly really good. It was really tender and full of flavor. I love the chard that came with it, as well as the mashed potatoes - both with hints of garlic! The pasta was fresh and lots of chicken and asparagus. It was in a pesto like sauce with pine nuts - so good! Overall the service was great...but it was probably because we were the only ones there for a while. But the food was good, and filling! Great portion sizes! It's on the pricier side just for lunch - but not bad for dinner. The only downfall is now I reek of garlic! At least I know vampires won't come near me now....or probably anyone else!
(3)
Jennifer E.

While the service was good, the food was mediocre at best. I LOVE garlic. No, seriously. I ate the garlic ice cream at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. I love it. The green garlic sauce did not disappoint. It was almost all garlic, to the point of almost stinging my mouth. We got the garlic in a hot tub of oil, which was great for spreading on the bread. The bread, apparently, was supposed to be house-made foccacia. It wasn't. It was some shitty roll that could have come from safeway. Bleh. It really did not support the yumminess of the sauces. Onto my meal, angel hair pasta with tomatoes, and added shrimp. I expected SOME garlic in there; I was disappointed. The dish had next to NO FLAVOR. I dumped some of the green garlic sauce on it, and still needed to put salt on it to give it some oompf. I don't plan to be back.
(2)
Sara M.

I ate at the Stinking Rose right before I got on a plane back to NYC. It seemed like a good idea at the time. A couple of hours later right before boarding the plane I brushed my teeth, just to make sure I didn't offend anyone. Another few hours after that I'm on the plane, constanly getting up from my seat to brush my teeth. The little person (no really she was a midget... wait, is that ok to say?) sitting next to me had to think I had OCD. Besides the constant brushing of my teeth I wouldn't turn the light on when she couldn't reach it with her seat belt on. I didn't want to turn it on b/c I was tired and wanted to sleep. So I looked at her and the light repeatedly, trying to figure out what I should do. It was very intense: I wanted to the right thing and help her out, but I was tired, smelled like garlic and wanted to sleep. She ended up turning the light on herself, but then I started brushing my teeth every 45 minutes so she must have attributed my strange behavior to OCD and not to being a douche. And just as she was wrong about her assumption of me, I was wrong to have all that garlic before getting on the plane.
(3)
Covenant E.

It's not worth the hype. When I went with my gf, the wait staff took awhile to get to us, the meal took a long long time to make (I noticed we were not the only one waiting for our food), and the food was generic at best but with extra helping of garlic; and my roasted rabbit was very dry. The only redeeming value to the place of the appatizer Bagna Calda.
(2)
Save M.

It's been a while since the last time i went here so my review is a bit vague i went with a guy friend who happens to love garlic .... i think the steak was good.... cooked as we want it....... . what special is that the garlic soaked in olive oil bath...with their bread.... yummy.... NOTE: they DO NOT have Garlic Fries....hehehe... i was hoping they do....
(3)
tina M.

Damn, you guys do stink. Weird how our entree came out in 5 minutes after ordering. My boyfriend ordered lasagna and it tasted like Chef Boyardee and my entree was tasteless! We barely touched our plate.....I only had 3 bites of the nasty tomatoes pasta! I should've complained.....
(1)
Kerry K.

tWe were here the day before Easter for lunch after almost being trampled on in China Town--We had planned on eating there but stumbled on SR--OMG--I was in Garlic heaven--Since we were here for lunch we just slipped apps--Baugna Cauda--Huge amount of sweet and tender nuggets of garlic cloves tantalizing the taste buds on the heavenly rolls--YUM--Next the fondue--OMG--It may have topped you know what--They gave you crostini bread sticks but we used the rolls-- And we split the salad SR one--Delicious !!!! The wait staff was awesome and bonus points for having h2o pitchers with ice on tables--Can't wait to get my garlic fix again--
(5)
Yin-Pei S.

One of my friends invite me to get a lunch there with her friend. Three of us went to there on Tuesday i think. the waiter was so nice and the foods were so delicious. I like it a lot but tables are too close together. it makes me feel not good.
(4)
Jared L.

I can only speak of the single dinner I had here recently, but I found the service, the ambiance, and yes, the complete excess of garlic in the food delightful. Yes this is a tourist joint, in the sense that tourists like it. And why shouldn't they? It's a unique and charming place, with lots of seats, and efficient kitchen, cool old one-of-a-kind kitch to look at, and food you won't find anywhere else besides the sister restaurant in Beverley. It's a tourist joint in the sense that when your tourist friends and family come, you should make them buy you dinner there. Sure, tourists are loud and take up too much space, but so are FiDi douches loud, and so do Mission hipsters take up too much space, bicycles in tow. If you're from the area you have surely seen worse, and if you're not you won't even notice. Hell, I got hit in the face with the door thrown open by boisterous tourists (which does wonders for a guy's humility when he's trying to impress his date, let me tell you!) and it didn't even piss me off. Rather, it contributed to my appreciation of a place which has contributed to the quality of life here while attracting the site-seeing swarm year after year. Rather like the GG bridge: Tourists like to walk across it, but so do I. No this is not a tourist joint. It's not a tourist joint in the sense of the service, which was excellent. it's not a tourist joint in the sense of longevity, in that it's been here forever, is beloved by many, and is here to stay. It's not a tourist joint in the sense of the food, which may not be authentically anything but is definitely its own thing. It's not even a tourist joint in the sense of belonging in the area,, for I surely saw a number of SF denizens stare wistfully inside while we were eating. Its tacky and loud outside, just like many other great places in North Beach. Complaints about too much garlic are of course idiotic at best and to be scoffed at. No one should complain about too much meat at HOPR, and no one should complain about too much pepper at Spicy Town. Its whole theme is garlic, and if you don't like garlic, you must deal. For you, they have bread and wine. It was good enough for Jesus, surely it is good enough for you. The meal was solid and tasty and not something you'd ever get elsewhere. We had the sizzling pot-o-garlic with the bread, and that was awesome. The drinks were prompt and strong. There are numerous seating areas, all with different lighting and decor, so one visit need not be exactly like the next. My ribs were tender and deliciously garlic infused. I didn't feel the price was bad given the town. Bonus points for both of us reeking so badly of garlic that we got spacious priority seating at all the most crowded North Beach bars.
(4)
Erick R.

It was way back in high school when I first stepped into The Stinking Rose. Back then, this place was just another restaurant for us kids to giggle awkwardly in as we silently debated in our minds whether we would kiss our date to the school formal or not. Wondering how long garlic-breath would last and if the post-meal mints offered with the check would be enough to subdue such a potent nemesis to "making-out," the quality of food was inconsequential. We we're just having fun. Now, coming back to San Francisco after living on the other edge of the continent for so long, I find myself at this establishment more than I'd care to admit. I have never been a huge fan of Italian pasta dishes, but being Filipino, I would eat garlic bulbs like peeled orange wedges if people wouldn't stare at me so strangely. The menu has changed a lot over the years, but my two staples are still present - the steamed mussels and the prime rib. I really can't recommend the mussels enough. Just get them. Also, the bagna calda always makes my taste buds weep and my heart sigh. This place is great for what it is - a theme restaurant that embraces its inner-kitsch. Don't listen to the bitches who love to bitch. They need to take a crash-course in critiquing places in accordance to comparables, and not whether or not every dish gives them a foodgasm.
(5)
Alex R.

worth a second visit but nothing to write home about. had a lovely meal with another couple and enjoyed ourselves. but i didn't taste much of the promised garlic galore. but as i said, i'll go back because it's a nice place.
(3)
Robert S.

Been wanting to go here for a while. After spending an hour in North Beach looking for parking we finally made our way over to eat. We were served immediately which was a plus. The waiter was down to earth, positive attitude. We were greeted with cheese bread and a pitcher of water. I ordered the spicy shrimp pasta which was good but not so spicy. The biggest downside of The Stinking Rose was absolutely everything was almost $20 except the pizza. Plus they automatically add on a 4% tax on to your order which made no sense?! Besides that, the garlic was flavorful and our breath stunk all day. Plus they have the worlds largest garlic braid in the restaurant.
(3)
Christina L.

I don't care that it's a tourist trap!! As long as there is and abundance of garlic I could be surrounded by Ooma Loompas and not give a damn! Granted, I usually don't stop in unless there is a friend visiting from out of town... The service at the front is pretty horrendous though - keep in mind that you will NOT, repeat, NOT be seated unless your entire party is there. They make this fact abundantly clear then pat themselves and each other on the back heartily for reinforcing the point so clearly. Food wise: hot tub of garlic is enough to keep you happy and satisfied until your actual meal arrives and the waiters are generally very generous with providing bread. Last time I came I ordered the rabbit and was very happy. This time I got the tipalia and was also very satisfied! It was perfectly moist which is difficult to achieve with this fish although I agree it was a tad overpriced. All in all a delicious meal and my out of town friends were happy as well. Like I said: garlic - you can't go wrong.
(4)
Sophie D.

Okay... I actually found The Stinking Rose to be really yummy. I know people think it's tacky, touristy, and all-around far too garlic-y, but you have to know and expect these aspects if you're going to enjoy The Stinking Rose. As far as North Beach restaurants go, I would say it's one of the more popular, frequented restaurants because it's on the main drag amongst all the other ones with the hosts trying to lure you in bella bella bellisima ! If these sales tactics don't impress you, maybe a slice of garlic pizza will. I went with a large group and was impressed to be seated immediately despite it being around 8pm on a Friday night. I expected to have to wait for a half hour at least, but we were seated with no problem. Our server was attentive and friendly. The Stinking Rose is a restaurant I am glad I tried once, I would probably go again, but it's by no means an incredible, standout SF restaurant. The fact is, it IS touristy, and it IS maybe a bit overpriced for the quality but bottom line is, everyone should try it once and decide for themselves. Oh... bring breath mints.
(4)
James L.

In shepherding some non-local friends to a bunch of touristy joints in SF, one of the places we hit up was the Stinking Rose. The food ranges between "meh" and "not bad." Touristy prices, but the portions are huge so you're not being ripped off: My "small" order of shrimp in spicy tomato sauce/broth came in a bowl about as big as my (quite large) head. The arugula salad (how elitist of me!) was tasty, but I was put off by the fact that several of the leaves were quite obviously old and yellowing. Their version of a bagna cauda (which they spell "bagna calda") was disappointing: The olive oil they used was so neutral in flavor that they might as well have used canola, and there weren't nearly enough anchovies to provide the much-needed salt and umami. They do try to fill you up on their little focaccia rolls--they kept bringing out basket after basket of the stuff, and the thick, bread-y, roux-like texture of the tomato sauce my shrimp were swimming in made me suspect that the day-old focaccia was probably being repurposed in my dish. Oh, and maybe this is just my Korean upbringing talking, but despite the garlic theme of the restaurant, nothing here tasted truly garlicky to me, not even the bagna "calda." The only thing that was indeed garlicky were the condiment containers of raw minced garlic/chopped herbs in olive oil that was provided for every table. Again, maybe it's just the Korean in me, but I slathered that stuff over everything I possibly could. Overall, it's not bad for a place with a tourist trap reputation, and if I am dragged out here again I won't mind, but I'm certainly not coming back on my own. In SF of all places, you can bet you can find better Italian food for your money. P.S. The hostess was a snarky bitch, but our waiter was a nice guy, if a little detached. I really appreciated that he didn't try to ham it up or upsell us stuff we didn't want/need; in fact, he warned my friend not to order a "medium" because even a "small" was huge, and he was right. P.P.S. Why bother parking here, in one of the most crowded/hectic/expensive areas in the city, when the restaurant is a brisk, low-intensity uphill walk away from the Montgomery BART station? For those who aren't very fit/mobile, the cable car goes up the hill for $5.
(2)
Jenny D.

This restaurant hold very dear and special memories for me. Because of this, the food is accentuated and more endearing in my mind. Back in the early 1990s, the Stinking Rose was North Beach's star restaurant. Dare I say it transformed the area and brought the neighborhood to a brighter, more prosperous light. He was my college sweetheart and it was on our first real date. He ordered the bagna calda. I remember those plump garlic cloves that were buttery soft. We both dug into that garlic mini-hot tub of love! (I had to work the next day and I swore that garlic was seeping through my pores!) It's basicaly the same menu with a few new items. I immediately noticed the garlic Dungeness Crab and Prime Rib - which I tried and loved! The garlicky crust was so flavorful and it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a beautifully cooked prime rib. (I would even say I prefer this Prime Rib to the one served at Beverly Hill's Lawry's The Prime Rib or even The Prime Rib in Philly.) Yes, it's touristy, but that won't stop me nor the tourists behind me from coming through the doors. Touristy or not, in a neighborhood of unparalleled Italian eateries, this place still packs it in and can still hold it's own. So Stinking Rose, thank you for decades of wonderful food and looking forward to decades more!
(4)
Mace M.

I think the Stinking Rose has a bad reputation for being a "tourist trap", that aside I think this establishment is okay. Every time I've been here, it has been super packed, and even with that in mind, I've noticed time and time again the service is always super slow, though super nice. I love how you can get tucked away in a booth in the back and you can let the drapes down for a more quiet, romantic, evening. My favorite dish to get here is the forty-clove garlic chicken, which is exactly what it sounds like. A half of a chicken cooked with forty cloves of garlic. I also love getting the garlic cloves and oil which is served over a candle to keep it heated and the garlic cloves are so soft you can spread them like butter on your bread. Just know that you'll pay a price for eating here, you'll probably be sleeping alone for a week!!!
(3)
Raider J.

I think this place has gone down hill during the past few years. I was here recently and was disappointed..... Walked in on Tuesday night, and got a table asap.....The tables were empty and so were our entrees.... The best thing we ordered were the garlic cloves with foccacia bread. That is sad for a popular Italian joint....
(2)
Vickie D.

I am not sure what people are complaining about. Do not go to North Beach if you don't want to be around tourists. The food at this place is great. They have this garlic mixture on the tables that you put on bread, which is awesome! I ordered the gnocchi with gorgonzola, pine nuts and asparagus. It was very good. Next time, I want to try the fondue!
(4)
Tiffany V.

It was my first time going to this restaurant tonight. I have to say that the food was good, but the service was pretty slow. The waiters had heavy accents which makes the experience more authentic (...I guess?). The place is filled with garlic, garlic, and more garlic. You literally see a drawing or a picture or even a real garlic at every corner of this restaurant. In regards to what everyone else says about this place being a tourist trap; I couldn't agree more. We were surrounded by tourists, but we also had a tourist with us from NY. The important thing here was that he, the tourist, enjoyed the dinner and his time in SF, but it was also important that the SF natives enjoyed it too. I ordered the Silence of the Lamb Shank and it was pretty good. The meat literally fell off the bone and the meat did not have that distinctive lamb taste, which is a plus for me. My bf and the tourist both ordered the Forty Cloves of Garlic with Chicken and that chicken was very moist and tender and perfectly cooked. We also ordered the Roasted Garlic in a Tub as an appetizer. I never had so much garlic in one sitting in my life. Oh and prices aren't exactly cheap either (average $20/person). Overall the food is pretty good. Can't say so much for the service. We had to flag down our waiter to take our orders, then flag him down again to take our bill away, and then flag him down again to give us a pen with ink. And a side note, you should go on a Friday so that you have the weekend to get the garlic smell out of your breath so you don't scare away your co-workers at work. Mints don't work as well as I thought they would.
(3)
Devon A.

I was curious. I'd been to San Francisco five times now in a decade, and we were hungry. We were nearby. We went to the Stinkin' Rose. A local friend of mine told me a few times not to bother, but we went. It is definitely a tourist trap but it's one of those places where you figure you must try once. If it were me and I knew better, I would've skipped it. I think the best thing was the wait was suppose to be 30 minutes and last 10 minutes. First stop was the bathroom, and the line for the Men's (yes, men's) room was 6 deep. I waited 5 minutes before a waiter told me of another bathroom in the basement. The menu was skimpy and there were no specials. After 10 minutes and Italian man who I think was our waiter asked if we wanted drinks so I grabbed a beer. I also ordered quickly since I didn't know when he'd be back. I got the ribs, my friends bought a pasta dish and something else. Then the bread came. Really dry, not moist, no garlic, and totally boring. We tried to spread garlic pesto on it, but the garlic in the pesto overpowered everything. Forget it. We sat for a long time and our food finally came. I liked my ribs and the idea that they came dry was a new twist for me. Good job. My friends liked their food, too. Then we wanted dessert. I am a tiramisu connoisseur so I ordered it, even if it did cost $9.00. It came in an oversized martini glass; it was just ok. Just ok. It was really watery, and I've definitely had better! We also ordered coffee ($2.00 on the menu) with baileys in it. They each ended up being $8.50. So I think I paid $6.50 for a shot of Bailey's!!! Terrible. The ambiance of this place was hectic and fast, and I never did know who my waiter was. I would skip this place quickly. If you are there now. Turn around and look away from the restaurant. Do you see a little place across the way to The House? Yeah, do you? Ok, be safe, get across the street, and GO THERE instead! Ribs, 1/2 Tiramisu, 1 beer, and coffee w/baileys: $55.00!!!
(2)
Karena P.

Before dining at Stinking Rose I read many of the reviews and seeing that this resturant only has 2 and half stars and I was really crossing my fingers. BUT, I was pleasantly suprised the food was actually good, not nearly as bad as lot of people say it is although I may be a bit bias because I LOVE GARLIC. I really liked the decor and fun atmosphere. My friends and I had the Bagna Calda to start with I loved how easier it was to spread the garlic mmm. For my entree, I had the Zuppa di Pesce which is their version of the cioppino it YUM! The garlicy tomato broth that wasnt too spicy filled with a pretty generous amount of seafood. I would absolutely recommend it! My friends also enjoyed their entrees which consisted of the Garlic Braised Boneless rib (i tried some of this and the ribs were super tender but the sauce was a bit salty), Spicy prawn pasta and the signature 40 clove chicken (very moist!). The only thing that I would improve about this place is the service, I understand that on a Saturday night it tends to get a lil hectic but our server wasnt attentive at all. Aside from that, I would definitely come back here in the future!
(4)
Annie W.

No, this place is not a must do in SF. It is overpriced, over-hyped, and I left completely and utterly disappointed. The bread was cold, my lasagna was cold and SKIMPY, and I would rather have a blueberry Slurpee at 7-11 than the blueberry margarita they serve here. I was sooooo hungry coming in and when you are hungry usually anything tastes good right? Not here. To be fair the people I dined with seemed impressed and were ooohing and ahhing the whole time. I don't know if they truly felt that way or were being polite, but they seemed to like it. I personally did not.
(2)
Brad C.

Super touristy and overpriced for what you get. Hadn't been in for 8 years or so. Came in when nothing else was open. Not bad, but you do feel like you are in a factory getting served by robots. But garlic IS tasty and the bread dip makes just about anything taste good. So cant say I left unhappy. If nothing else, its one of those places where you can bet dinner before you go about what cheesy objects will be on the walls. If you haven't played that game, by the way, you should. Here are the rules: Each player gets 3 guesses. (i.e. pictures of the owner with famous people, street signs, old license plates, strings of dried peppers, etc) The player who gets more right wins dinner. If no player gets any, you split the bill. (And both suck). If either player gets all three, they win an additional dinner or comparable prize. If both players get all three (no overlapping allowed) then I think the meal should be on the house. Until that rule is accepted by restaurants, however, I am open to suggestions. But the prize has to be something big. Oh, and I am entertaining challenges.
(3)
Clar L.

Overpriced food that you can get other places, only they make it with more garlic than most. And yeah, a bit touristy. But the food is made pretty well enough. Good portion size. And I already douse garlic over nearly everything I eat anyway, the cooks are just saving me the trouble. And what a niche restaurant, to specialize in garlic. Garlic ice cream... it doesn't get more niche than that. The irony of the place is, the garlicky smell, tourist crowds, and noise makes this a bad place for a hot date, but the price makes sure it's a bad place for just friends events too. They'll have to fix that.
(3)
Hiromi N.

Uugh...I can't even bring myself to give it 2 stars. I've been dragged out there by visiting friends twice and that was two times too many. Seriously, I like garlic, really I do. Yet, the chicken that I had at my initial visit and the pasta that I had at my second visit were just awful. I agree with some of the other reviewers that this place is just a tourist trap. My advice, try one of the Italian restaurants further north or some of the swanky restaurants downtown. Just don't stop at the Stinking Rose, keep walking, for the love of garlic, keep walking!
(1)
Jonathan Y.

Wow a lotta hate on this place. It's crowded, the service isn't the greatest, and the food doesn't have THAT much garlic. However I loved the prime rib, the garlic potatoes, and of course the garlic mussels! The garlic chicken didn't have enough garlic for me though. I wouldn't come here for pasta....I'm sure nearby there is more traditional Italian stuff.
(4)
Chris T.

Stuck with an awful obligatory, awkward date you wish not to have agreed upon? Take them here! Guaranteed not to get any action after dining here. If the offensive odoriferous garlic funk doesn't kill the mood, the service will! Pastas were served luke warm and hard. Little creativity to taste... I can see the chef thinking, "What is this dish missing? Some paprika? fresh basil? hmm no. fresh ricotta cheese? Nnno. OOH I know 4 bulbs of garlic would really up this dish a notch! Hooza!" We get it, it's a garlic themed restaurant. I can understand if garlic is included in every single menu item, but it shouldn't be the MAIN ingredient. Two tins of Altoids chased with Listerine really didn't take that aftertaste away! +1 star for helping me fight vampires after the meal.
(2)
Jenn C.

It's a happy place to bring people. the food is decent and atmosphere is neutral... I'm not sure if I'd recommend it, considering the other many options in that neighborhood.
(3)
maranda w.

Honestly? Not bad foodwise. We both had prime rib and mashed potatoes-- my partner also had crab. All was yummy. EXCEPTIONS: - the nasty $13 ceasar salad. I got ice in some of my lettuce, making it a less than nice experience to chew. - The rolls were cold. I got over that fast, since the actual roasted garlic was awesome. My partner, Ben mentions this: - you basically can get this food anywhere. For the price (we had a $150 tab) you're just getting extra garlic. This place is crowded, noisy and by now way romantic where we were sitting.
(3)
Raoul D.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and give the Stinking Rose four stars. Sure, it's a tourist trap, but that is because it is one of the first things you notice when wandering through North Beach. An interestingly painted restaurant called the Stinking Rose that specializes in all things garlic. Sure, the food could be a bit better, and yes, the prices could be a little lower. I heard the bad reviews for years, and then someone actually dragged me to this restaurant that everyone loves to hate. Turns out it wasn't that bad. Criminally underrated.
(4)
Raw F.

You have got to love San Francisco for developing these little niche neighborhoods for the tourists. The food here is god-awful and the service is bad. Look waiters, if you don't like being a waiter, go find another job. I hear the Castro needs fluffers.
(1)
Eileen H.

I don't know why this place gets such a bad rap. It's not THAT bad. It's certainly not the greatest Italian food, but there are certain dishes here that i really like: the prime rib, the crab, the potato garlic soup (or whatever it's called), the mussels and the tiramisu (seriously!). Yes, it's a tourist trap, and yes it's very tightly packed, and YES the service is sketchy, but I honestly don't think the food is as bad as many of the reviewers say it is.
(3)
Troy V.

3 stars for horrible waiter with smart ass comments. My friend waited for 40 minutes after ordering for his fish lol. Nothing special from typical an American/italian restaurant except they put hella garlic in everything. But their garlic didnt taste like garlic, it lacked garlicky smell and tasted like tiny boiled potatoes. I hear the rabbit is good there though. BTW, if you're dining in a group of 6 or more, be prepare to have 18% gratuity added, in addition to sales tax and stupid California health tax. I think I paid 30% more in addition to my bill's subtotal...not worth it.
(3)
Jess H.

Ok, so it's super cliche & toursity but the food is good & the service is usually great, too. As a vegan I get the pizza without cheese which I find to be super good. The bread with the garlicy green stuff is also vegan & so delicious, I could eat that alone. I've been here a handful of times & only had a slightly bad server once. They are usually very friendly & accommodating. I love when visitors want to go here!
(4)
Amber B.

This is our 'special' restaurant for whenever we go up to Frisco from the South Bay. The food is fricking amazing and that is the sole redeeming quality powerful enough to negate the following complaints: - The wait is shit. Every single time...be prepared to get shafted despite making a reservation weeks in advance. They will over-crowd the place, regardless of the dozens of people who have made reservations but have to wait while they seat walk-ins. - Due to being crammed in like sardines, be ready to order EVERYTHING including extra water and drinks when you are seated. You wont see your server again....ever. - Parking sucks arse....but, its SF so what do you expect? - Some tables in this place are magical (little 'tent' booths up the back) and some are right in the middle of the masses of people pushing past you to get to their tables up the back. Be prepared to get a shitty table..its destined to happen. - If your body isnt functioning normally the next day, and you stink like a mofo... you've eaten well at the Stinking Rose. My lower intestinal tract (to be polite) took about 4 days to resume functioning again. Small price to pay in my honest opinion... Important note: Wear stretchy pants!
(4)
Miika M.

Unfortunately, it looks like another establishment falling victim to keeping up with the throes of tourism and not exactly in the spirit of true Italian tastes. A friend of mine whose family is from Sicily, took one bit of the Roast Chicken with many cloves of garlic and shook his head in dismay. Our fault, of course, for even taking him there. But I had to show him what happens when you visit a restaurant listed on tourist guides of "Places to Eat in San Francisco" The chicken was rather bland and the appearance of garlic, although abundant, did not really impart the rich smoky flavor to the chicken. I actually enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes more. To make the experience positive, the wait staff were very attentive and quick, bread was fresh and soft and our water goblets were kept full. I suppose if one were visiting SF, do stop by so that you can mark it off your map, but its really all personal. I'd cross the street and order the gnocchi in Gorgonzola cream at Caffe Macaroni Sciue Sciue.
(2)
JaM W.

I like garlic but the food was too salty.
(1)
Nancy T.

The food was overpriced, but pretty good. One of the people in our group was vegetarian, and she said they had a nice selection for non-meat eaters. The complimentary garlic-pesto spread they give is powerful. It was tasty though. We ordered the Bagna Calda for an appetizer. The olive oil had some pesto in it and had a nice flavor even without the garlic pieces. The garlic pieces were melt in your mouth buttery. I can see how others have filled up eating just this. The bread is soft and fresh. I had to stop myself from eating too much and ruining my appetite for the entree. For dinner, I decided to try the Prawns Pasta. It sounded pretty simple, but when I tasted it, it was out of this world delicious. The sauce was both sweet and spicy, my favorite flavor profile. Although it was pricey for pasta ($19) and the portion was not huge, I would get it again. That's how good the sauce was. My husband ordered the Prime Rib. It wasn't very generous of a portion for $33. Again, overpriced. I had a bite and the flavor was nice. We both agreed though that it was not a "must have again" item. The Swiss Chard was creamy and so were the mashed potatoes. I think having something crispy would have added to the texture of the meal. Our two dinner companions had the Baby Back Ribs and the Portabella Mushroom. Although both said their entrees were good, neither seemed particularly excited about their food. I think I got the best dish. We finished with the garlic ice cream to share. The portion was enough for four full people. Everyone enjoyed it.
(4)
Jamie Y.

First off, I recommend that you make reservations ahead of time, or you will be stuck standing outside in the SF cold for a while! I was taken here for dinner to my surprise and I was pretty excited to try this joint out. If you hate garlic, think twice about entering this place because you will breathe, taste, eat, and smell like garlic once you step your foot inside. Anywho, we ordered the zuppa di pesce, the prime rib, and the bagna calda. The bagna calda tasted great with the bread rolls! It came with big heaps of garlic ;) The prime rib was pretty good and were also of generous portion. The mashed potatoes it came with was perfect to top it off with. My favorite part of the zuppa di pesce was its spicy tomato brodetto (the stew), as I am not the BIGGEST fan of seafood (I dont dislike it, but i'll eat it). I couldn't have any more dessert because I was so full. We even took the leftovers to-go. The service was decent, wasn't the best, but my glass of water was always filled to the top. +1 for the ambiance as I really enjoyed the privacy of the booth we were sitting at. Good lighting - dim, but not too dim to the point where I can't read the menu or even see what I'm eating -.- Overall, I'd really like to give this place 3.5, but I chose to round it up to 4 just for the experience. I'm not sure if I'd come here frequently, but for a one-time experience, it's a definite yes for garlic lovers!
(4)
Wendy K.

We finish the whole garlic paste. It was really really good! if you're really into garlic!
(4)
Judy M.

I don't believe you can have too much garlic, and this place does not disappoint. Definitely, not first date food. The food is good, but outside of the novelty of dousing everything in garlic, is a bit above average. Better than three stars, but less than 4. I've had the prime rib, fish, and the gnocchi. The prime rib and fish were alright. I really enjoyed the gnocchi. The sauce was creamy and the garlic added a bite to the flavor.
(3)
Kim U.

I made reservations for a party of 7 at Stinking Rose because one of the girls in our party used to work at the LA location and loved the food. A few of us shared the shrimp, muscle, crab combo and it wasn't anything special. The best part of the meal was the garlic-y pesto and someone got the gnocchi which was the highlight. Why only 2 stars? Our party of 7 was sat upstairs and the tables were SO close together it made the whole dinner uncomfortable. We are not big people but I was back to back - chairs touching- with the table behind us. Getting up to go to the bathroom from the middle of the table would have been impossible. Good thing there wasn't a fire... They really need to rework the tables in that space, pretty ridiculous. So that + mediocre food will not result in a return trip anytime soon.
(2)
Jonathan L.

Garlic tub was great, food was so-so. Can totally see why this place is called a tourist trap based on the ambiance. Somewhat overpriced as well. One visit is enough have no need to go back.
(3)
Jennifer L.

Three stars for being a part of San Francisco's touist apeal and for being slightly historic. It's amazing how busy this place always is and really the food isn't all that great. It's a lot of tasty garlic, but even if that's your catchy item you should still get some other flavors in there. I have been twice in the last few months and I wasn't satisfied with either meal. My girlfriend actually ordered the "40 clove chicken", it didn't have 40 cloves on it. What makes this worth the trip? Getting a deal on gift cards for this place at Costco. Really if you are coming to SF, and you want to eat out in North Beach, go some where that is truly Italian.
(3)
Andrea O.

Good food- the salmon, veggie lasagna and meatloaf were really good! The Swiss chard was out of this world!! Only thing that we missed was the garlic bread
(4)
Erica M.

We love this place!! My husband and I ate here on the last night of our trip to San Francisco and absolutely loved it. It was the best meal we ate our entire week. We made reservations (which was good because it is a small place and had people waiting outside when we arrived). After checking in we had to wait about 20 minutes for our table. We were concerned about having to wait because we had tickets to a show but once we sat down the service was super fast! We had the signature garlic appetizer and it was so good. We didn't know what to think about a skillet of garlic cloves but they were delicious. Both of our entrees were also excellent. For dessert we shared the garlic ice cream and it was sooooo good! Although it sounds kinda crazy, try it! Our server was friendly and we were able to enjoy our meal and make it to our show right on time. This place was as true treat!
(5)
John E.

A fun spot, but food was not memorable. A good margherita pizza and small but tasty rack of ribs were ordered. Fun once, but not a repeat visit ahead.
(3)
Dalisa C.

I am really surprised to see only 3 stars for this place on yelp. Being from Vegas, I often expect the best food and the best service. Most CA restaurants cannot even compare with the service you find in Las vegas but I was quite pleased with this restaurant. Perhaps it was because we had a reservation and didn't have to wait but I have zero complaints from beginning to end. They were even scurrying to accomodate a large group of prom kids and it did not effect us in the bit. I do admit to loving garlic and the food was delicious. Between four of us we had appetizers and various entree's and it was all delicious. The wine list was the most reasonable that I have seen in any San Francisco restaurant. I highly recommend the Stinking Rose.
(4)
Sarah R.

Lots of garlic which ummm of course I love! We ordered the garlic bulb app and the pot of shrimp both were great and price points were not too bad. Our friends ordered several other dishes as well. What was bad was the service. Let me start- no one came to ask for drinks or even introduce a waiter until we had been sitting for at least ten minutes. Mind you it was 3 pm and not even 1/3 of the tables were full. Then the waitress didn't seem interested in us at all- a simple how is your day going would have sufficed. We ordered drinks wine n beer but throughout the lunch no one EVER asked if we wanted more drinks. More drinks = more tip money but they never asked so we brought the rest of our business to Gino and Carlo. Nice little place don't get me wrong but get more friendly waitresses and it would help.
(3)
Tao Tao W.

I think this place is a bit over rated. It was fun to eat and a nice tourist place but wouldn't go here again probably unless friends came into town. The bf and I got garlic mussels as a starter which was pretty decent. he got the lamb and i got the meatloaf. I thought it was ok but it wasn't that great. Meatloaf had good consistancy and was soft but it surprisingly didn't have quite as much favor as i had hoped. The ambiance was nice though.
(2)
Sadhika B.

Garlicky goodness Not a good date place If you want a kiss
(4)
Frank G.

Delicious food, wonderfully prepared. I was kind of expecting a total garlic overload, but it was more like a pleasantly acceptable saturation. You have to try the garlic ice cream, it's unique and delicious.
(4)
Elizabeth N.

I guess I understand why people would come here... where else do they have a restaurant with garlic on everything? But really? The food here is not that good!
(2)
Mihir P.

I heard about this concept many many many years ago in a galaxy far far....you get the point. I've been to SF so many times but never got the chance until my buddy and I happened to walk by it last week. So of course we went in. I was underwhelmed as we walked in. Dark, dull, cramped, and bad music. But we were sat immediately and the service was lightning fast. We ordered drinks and gave our waiter our food order at the same time. As we were asking him a couple of questions, our drinks arrived. He must have ordered them via telepathy. Go the Caesar salad which was bland (the dressing was). The chicken was great but not very garlicky as I was hoping for. I did get about 30 roasted garlic cloves which I loved but was hoping the garlic would be more incorporated into the main and sides. I think the best part was the chimichurri which was perfect.
(3)
Veronica H.

If you're visiting San Francisco, be sure to stop here! This is a cool concept. I love garlic, so I was excited to try it. Perhaps because it was our fourth day of vacation and I was overstuffed from all the eating and tired from all the walking, but none of the dishes really jumped out at me, aside from the pizza. I always love pizza! The service was great, we had our own little semi-private booth. I split the mussels and shrimp with my husband. It was great. I was warned not to get the garlic wine as my mom and her friend actually got sick after drinking it! We did get the garlic ice cream. It basically tasted like you were eating really good vanilla ice cream after you had munched on that entire barrel of pickled garlic at the bar. A noticeable garlic aftertaste!
(3)
Alex S.

Came here on Friday night of for Memorial Day Weekend. Made a reservation for 6.45 pm. Truthfully we didn't need it because the place was not that crowded. Ended up stepping in at 6.30 pm because bf was hungry. The decoration for the restaurant is weird and unique. Ordered the bagna something, basically poached garlic cloves in oil. very good. Bf ordered baby back ribs and mashed potatoes. Very good. ribs were tender and the mashed potatoes had tons of fat in it. not a very large serving of potatoes. i mean come on it's potatoes!! not to mention that garlic isn't very expensive either :) he also ordered a large ale. he enjoyed it. I ordered basa fish with tomato conserve with black olives. i enjoyed the dish very much. there wasn't a drop of anything left on my plate. came with like circular pasta. it was good, but needed a little more seasoning. it was a nice piece of fish, good portion size. i think dinner in the end was $58. the service was decent. we were a little sad because the candle warmer for the bagna calda wasn't lit. they lit it for everyone else. also we were sat in a corner which we thought would be nice. well turns out they use the extra door as an exit so as we were eating the damn manager stands there and opens the door for people to exit. we were sitting there saying why the hell is he opening the door, but no one was exiting. he was waiting for a group and just stood there with the damn door open. so yeah not the most intimate. i would tell the manager, (man in suit) to focus on ALL the customers' experiences. he thought he was being helpful, really he was just ruining the atmosphere of our dinner. the food was great. service could be improved. we asked the waiter if he would recommend the rabbit, he said no :)
(3)
Lisa Z.

I came here with my family for my couple years ago to celebrate my 18th birthday. I'm not the hugest fan of Italian food, but The Stinking Rose is apparently an Italian restaurant. O_O Also, my dad usually complains about the food every time we eat out. However, my experience at The Stinking Rose was superb! EVERYBODY loved their food. We tried each other's stuff and loved all of it! I absolutely love this place, and highly recommend it! =)
(5)
D J.

Ok! I love the food! I'm a garlic head and I know it! But the wait is always toooooo long and the prices are tooooo high for what you're getting. Three people and $150 total is HORRID!!! But if you got it like that I say go for it! I'd go again...
(3)
Polly L.

It was amazing!!!! I walked in and it smelled awesome and amazing! I love garlic and the decorations were like strings of garlic, it just smelled so nice in there. We started with the garlic soaking in a hot tub with the bread, and it was so good. I couldn't stop eating it and they also came with more bread, so I just kept eating that. I ordered the forty clove garlic chicken and it was amazingly good but I got really full off the bread and garlic that I only ate half of it and brought the rest home. I ate the rest of the chicken the next day, and it was still super amazingly good and there was definitely forty cloves of garlic.
(5)
Mary Jane P.

I loveeeee garlic!!! Seriously like I can eat it raw while I'm cooking so to me anything here is gonna be good. My cousins ordered mussels and oh lord I know what I'm ordering next time. I can't wait...I'm drooling as I type this thinking about it. But seriously you can't go wrong with anything here
(5)
Samuel L.

This is a great novelty restaurant you must go to if you love garlic. It is a good place to go in general, but gets crowded some times. Reservations are recommended.
(3)
Jesse G.

The food here is awesome, my girlfriend and I met up with some of her friends from undergrad here. When we walked in this swanky restaurant was full of character, from the rustic furniture to the picture filled walls. I'm usually not a big fan of roasted chicken but the garlic chicken with the yukon mashed potatoes was off the hook! Definitely recommend this place! P.S. Bring some gum b/c the garlic will definitely leave an impression on your breath and possibly your clothes
(4)
Samantha E.

Ward off vampires and enjoy a delicious meal all at once. In my opinion, this place actually did live up to the hype. I went with a group of six this past Saturday and was surprised at how empty it was for lunch. We split the bagna calda, which was surprisingly sweet and delicious. Opinions varied on the garlicky pesto (which I think has arugula in it?) but I quite liked it. The margherita and barbecue chicken pizzas both got good reviews, and my boyfriend really liked his meatloaf and said that the potatoes were great. I had the prawns pasta, and while it wasn't the most creative use of garlic ever, it was delicious. Huge, too-- I barely finished half of it. If you're in the area, give it a try. Plus, they have the world's longest chain of garlic bulbs. You have to see that, right?
(4)
Annie W.

this place has a ton of hype, and the concept is wonderful. garlic everything! sweet. yes, i bought a sweatshirt. but maybe i went in with too-high expectations. the garlic spread they serve is nicely sweet, in the melt-in-your-mouth garlic way. the raw garlic pesto-ish condiment they have on the table is also quite good. however, the lasagna i ordered was soggy, the vegetables nothing to rave about, the dish not particularly garlicky or interesting in any way. and the price was pretty high (hedging upon $20 an entree). so i went and can say that i went, and yay. but i'd like to think that there's more out here that's more worth your time in the long run.
(3)
Sara M.

Just had to try out this famous garlic restaurant and it pretty much lived up to expectations. Service was acceptable, decor was very kitschy/garlic-themed, food was pretty yummy. i got the fish in the spicy tomato sauce and although I did not find it spicy, the flavors and the side of quinoa were excellent. Of course we also had the tub of garlic to start the meal, and I have to say I wasn't such a fan. I LOVE garlic, but I think I prefer my roasted garlic to be served with the cloves still in the head of garlic and not floating in a tub of oil. Still, that's probably a personal taste thing. Overall, probably not somewhere I would return but it was a fun experience.
(3)
Sara U.

First - this is touristy. I had a friend in town who heard of this place and wanted to eat here but I wouldn't normally choose this joint. It's obviously touristy and you know you can get better food at many other places. That being said... the rolls + garlic sauce were very tasty. The ambience is quant and festive. The meatloaf was uhhh kind of scary. I don't know, it just was gross and weird. Very weird texture. Not a fan.
(3)
chuck p.

I don't know about other reviewers but I have always had a great time at the Stinking Rose. Good food & wine and they are always very nice when we go. It's a must stop at least once in your life I believe.
(4)
Jessica Y.

Finally tried this place after hearing a lot about it. I was starving so when they brought out bread I loaded up one after another with that garlic and olive oil on the table. Our table pretty much cleared both jars of that stuff...awesome! On to the food. We got a big thing of clams and mussels to share. Half of that shit was just shells so that was annoying. The edible parts dug out were tiny pieces. The sauce/broth was good though until we found a curly black hair. That was gross but we told the waitress and she offered to take it off the bill immediately. For my dish I got the boneless short rib. It was a bit dry but the roasted garlic, creamed spinach, and mash potatoes were delicious. Overall, this place is hyped up and more for tourists. For those prices you can find better food.
(2)
Shannon K.

I feel sad reading the reviews on this place. Sure, it seems a little touristy...but we've always had a great experience here. Our servers have always been friendly, attentive and they always make great suggestions. The food has always been perfect! I especially love the prime rib and the 40 clove garlic chicken (I do wish it had a little more sauce, the sauce is EXCELLENT). The bread and bagna colada are delicious too. Now that I'm finally reviewing it, I'm starting to have some serious garlic cravings...
(5)
Michael W.

The novelty of this restaurant is fun. The food is good as long as you don't mind the garlic hangover. Definitely a fun place to eat if you're newer to SF.
(4)
Elan H.

Food and service was lackluster at best. I wouldn't eat here again. Order the crab. It will come out In a pool of gray sauce. That's right. Gray!! Have fun. This place sucks all around. Nothing good about it
(1)
Lindy C.

I just love this restaurant so much! The great garlic in tub is like butter, the ribs are so tender and juice, the clams are unbelievable!! And the garlic ice cream? Speechless!
(5)
Jen B.

I was visiting a friend in San Francisco and we decided to try this place out. Wow, they really pack people in this place. The food was pretty mediocre, we did enjoy the bread and roasted garlic before the meal. There are so many better options in this city that I don't think this is the place to spend money or time.
(2)
Mr R.

The Bagna Calda is a must for $5.95. The rest of the food is average and the portions are not up to the price. I had like 9 ravioli for $18.95. The pasta is small and barely feeds me. The bus staff in here need a referral to a barber shop where they can get their pony tails trimmed and look professional. The wait staff is not really on their game. If nothing else, it is a neat place to experience for garlic lovers. The decor alone is wort a seat and an appetizer. In fact, I will only order the appetizer Bagna Calda and a glass of wine in the future. I will chose to have dinner at another establishment in Little Italy for my main course.
(2)
Rex G.

I'm usually not a fan of Italian but am a fan of garlic. I love this place. Just went there for a early dinner with my girlfriend. We drink a lot of water and love how they leave a pitcher on the table for us. We started out with bagna calda, soft garlic in olive oil that can be spread like butter on very soft bread. I ordered the arugula pesto pasta, i like my pesto cold so I waited a while to eat it and was eating my girls plate. She ordered the garlic braised boneless short rib which was sooo soft it just falls apart. The spinach that came with her dish was in some type of cheesy garlic sauce that was packed with flavor. This place has the best mashed potatoes that I have ever had in my life. It was firm which i like, not super creamy. I am going back to this place with some friends. The italian meatloaf is next on my list to try. tell you how that is.
(5)
Roland R.

Very interesting garlic theme... We've never visited any restaurants with such a unique theme that translates to their food and decor. Service was friendly and holy crap the water jug that they put on every table was too heavy!!!!!!! Never let your kids pour water on their own here!! Their bread + garlic spread was awesome!! The 2 of us ate about 7 of them XD We had the lasagna and pork chop w/ caramelized apple and mashed potatoes. Very unique and delicious sauce on the lasagna... But it was such a small portion!!! :( The pork chop was also delicious.. Crispy outside and tender inside. Mashed potato was okay.. kindda bland. But you can always put some of the garlic spread on it. We also had garlic ice cream for dessert!! It would be pretty huge for 1 person. Thought the ice cream would taste weird but it was sweet, but not too sweet. The garlic taste was very subtle and not offensive at all. Our only complaint is that some of the ice cream had already melted when it was put on our table... We ended up paying almost $30 each for the meal. We would've given this place 5 stars if it weren't for the melted ice cream, the small lasagna and prices. But we're definitely coming back here.. because when we were about to leave, there was this heavenly smell that wafted past us and we discovered that it came from a plate of sizzling mussels + some other seafood. We'd love to try it!!!!!!!!!!!
(4)
Mike F.

Unless you are a tourist from Nebraska and this is the next best thing to the Sizzler, don't bother. I reluctantly went here with friends from out-of-town who insisted they wanted to go. We arrived at our reservation time and were seated promptly. That was pretty much the highlight of the evening. We sat for a good 10 minutes before a waiter appeared to take our drink order. At that point we had studied the menu enough to be able to recite it, so we ordered both drinks and dinner. No word of a lie...the appetizers appeared within 5 minutes. So did the waiter with our bottle of wine and as he clumsily poured, he noted that he did not have much experience splitting a wine bottle 6-ways. Genius. OK, so I ordered another. No sooner had we finished the appetizers than main courses showed up. Of course, before the 2nd bottle of wine..which arrived halfway through dinner. All told, we got through dinner for 6 in less than an hour. A record time!....if you are running a marathon. The Stinking Rose is a tourist trap that wants to turn tables....crappy food and service in a town that has some of the best restaurants in the country. Save your money and ask the locals where THEY eat....I guarantee it won't be the Stinking Rose.
(1)
Maxine M.

Just went here for my birthday dinner and my second visit to the Stinking Rose. It was Sunday night so it wasn't super busy and we were seated right away. Both my wife and I ordered the boneless braised beef short ribs. This dish was nothing short of amazing with the most tender beef imaginable and butter soft garlic on top with creamy yukon gold mashed potatoes and yummy cream spinach. The bread and garlic/onion/oil spread was a perfect accompaniment. They also have a good selection of beer to go with the meal. We love the ambiance there too especially when we can get one of the tucked away tables in the little 'tents'. I can't wait to go again and the prices are reasonable too!
(4)
Nancy T.

I went here last year with a large group of friends. The wait wasn't terribly long and we had a group of 8-10. First thing I noticed -- that undeniable, wisp of garlic aroma in the air... And I was just standing right outside of the restaurant. Perhaps I was just hungry, but it sure smelled delicious. I had the prawns pasta for my entree. It came out a little bland for my liking, but it was more on the mediocre side. I should've ordered some fresh seafood instead! For dessert, we ordered the garlic ice cream. Really good in the beginning then it leaves you with a funny after taste, of.. well garlic. I don't regret eating it though. I love telling people that I've tried garlic ice cream! Had a fun time here, I'd go again for sure.
(4)
Joel V.

WARNING: This is a super-overrated spot to dine at. I've been twice, and both times, the kitchen does such an awesome job at making everything so garlicky - that your meal is compromised. Last time, I had the meatloaf - and it was so overly garlicky that it just ruins your dinner. I absolutely LOVE garlic! But this is comical amounts of garlic... Gimmicky, touristy, overrated. If you go to North Beach, the mecca of good gurp, pass on The Stinking Rose.
(3)
Jana C.

Perhaps the most succinct review I'll offer.. I've patronized this restaurant several times over the years.... and not once has the experience ever "wow'ed" me... I wish I could add this place to somebody's OVERHYPED list...such a mismatch to the reputation (glory days are over, sorry). I came to review this landmark restaurant of North Beach as I contemplate treating my folks to an anniversary dinner at the Dead Fish, a seafood/crab and prime rib house (don't know whether I should do it or not). Both places belong to the same restaurant group, and hence I thought to pop off a quicky review. Not worth the $$; I swear, i could cook some of those pasta dishes. This rose *is* stinky, and not in the right way.
(2)
Tim W.

If you like too much garlic go here. Not much else to say except everything is garlic heavy. I actually think it is a misuse of garlic but I dig it.
(4)
Joshua K.

I never really had so much garlic but I liked it a lot. The ribs, seafood tureens, and garlic ice cream were amazing.
(4)
Lauren F.

Okay okay okay. so the IDEA of everything having garlic is great, but I clearly missed out on my science lesson dealing with garlic and the body because this place took my ladiness and lady scent and turned me into a clinical strength garlic candle of some sorts. Yes everything was quite tasty. The 40 clove olive oily appetizer was lovely with bread. The clams in garlic sauce were also quite good. I had the rabbit, which for my first time trying it, was enjoyable. The garlicy mashed potatoes hit the spot. My dad had the ribs and they were way better! Go for them! The atmosphere is cozy. It wasn't too packed for a Thursday night (I think it was thursday? Maybe Saturday) but it wasn't a big deal since I made reservations anyway. READ: if you're thinking of going, call the place! Their automated message is adorable and Transylvanian accented. So kitschy?--cute? I would recommend this place. Just be forewarned that you WILL reek. For days.
(4)
Brandon H.

I love this restaurant! I'm definitely one of garlic's biggest fans! So you can see why I love this place. Only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, is because the time I spent later that night on the toilet costed them a star.....oops did I say that? :P
(4)
Nori L.

The food was alright. The best dish was the Bagna Calda.
(3)
Jose N.

If you LOVE garlic this is the place to go in San Francisco. I've been to SF 3 times in my life and twice to this restaurant. Service was good and the food was delicious. The 40 garlic clove chicken is my favorite. First time I was here we tried the garlic wine and ice cream and we loved it. It was surprisingly amazing. I will come back to this place again. My boss was jealous when I told her I had reservations to this restaurant. :)
(5)
Soul B.

To me this is one of those places people talk about as a must eat at. I think it's more touristy than anything but I decided to try it out. I've been there about 3 times and each time was unmemorable. Usually with places I like to eat, I add the restaurant to my phone contacts and put what food I liked in the notes section. This restaurant didn't make my contacts list. I'm looking over the menu and I can't remember what I had to eat there. I think I had the salmon at one time and the garlic steak another. Since I don't remember exactly what I had, I can't objectively say what was good and what was bad. All i can say is "I've eaten there and I didn't have a bad experience...or a memorable one." One thing I *did* remember having was the garlic ice cream. My cousin the garlic nut wanted that and against my better judgment we ordered it. That...was not good. I think it's an acquired taste. I would call ahead and make reservations because it gets really busy and you can wait anywhere from 30 min to 90 minutes without reservations. Or head over there earlier, make evening reservations and come back later. menu: thestinkingrose.com/pdf/â€¦
(3)
Jericho H.

I think this is one of just a few 5 stars i have ever given. I've been here once before years ago but don't remember it being this good. Fortunately we walked in at 9:00 pm on a Friday and was seated in about 4 minutes. The bread was not very tasty but was warm, fresh, and quickly made available. Add the garlic spread and it was good. We ordered the Blueberry Martini and it must have been premade because it arrived 2 minutes after order. Or maybe they sitting around with nothing else to do? It had a lot more ice then i prefer but it was tasty. The Potato Soup tasted great...i was surprised to see the naan like bread rapped over the top. It was flaky and added another texture and flavor to the soup. Had the Prime Rib which was cooked exactly Medium Rare with a great radish cream sauce on the side. Served with spinach and mashed potatoes... All was served hot and exactly as i would expect. Since i shared the entire meal i had enough room to try the garlic Ice Cream. I was pleasantly surprised that i liked it. I thought the garlic would be over powering but it was subtle and the caramel was light and just enough sweetness. Service : was fast and accommodating Food: was all high class, great tasting Prices: price for this meal was $70...maybe a tad high but it is SF and so is expected IF there is a negative its the fact my mouth had that over powering garlic feel. There was no anti-garlic counter measures.... and thus i became the next walking and talking Stinking 'Rose'.
(5)
Sharif N.

The food was not that bad, but for all the hype I was definitly disappointed. I had the Chicken Alfredo and it was ok. The salads were ok, and the garlic and bread were not great. THe service was excellent and the staff was great. But, that night I got sick b/c the food was so heavy in oil....
(2)
Tina F.

I LOOOVE GARLIC! And so does my bf, so I had to take him here on one of our monthly anniversaries. We both got prime rib because that's what I know is good. Delicious as always. Not the best cut of beef (go to House of Prime Rib if that's what you're looking for), but still full of flavor with a nice crust of goodness. Large portion sizes such that both my bf and I had to take beefy goody bags home. At the Beverly Hills locale, I've also tried the famous garlic ice cream (will not try this again unless force fed), roasted rabbit (too dry for my liking), Bagna Calda (melt-in-your-mouth garlic!), and pork chop (decent). The ambiance at 90210 is cozier and multitudes sexier (if garlic breath could be sexy...), but that's to be expected.
(4)
Simo L.

Garlic lover's dream come true. The meals were good and the price on par for the neighborhood. I could have done with less butter and oil, but I didn't really go in expecting a healthy meal either. Definitely get the bagna calda, well with it. I had their clam pasta, which was loaded with clams, unlike most places that give you only a couple. We had the garlic ice cream for dessert, which was pretty good as well. The place is a bit dark, maze-like, and cramped, but the staff is great and does a decent job of moving people around to make the best of their space. Food comes really quickly thanks to an electronic ordering system, which they've done a great job integrating into their restaurant.
(4)
Manuel N.

Don't pass up the chance to experience the food here. I've only visited once for lunch. Maybe I'll go back for dinner to get the full service effect.
(4)
Amanda H.

The parking, like most of San Francisco is not that great. This was aggravated by some kind of food festival blocking the opposite half of Columbus Street. For my non-existent budget it's very pricey; $20 a plate, no drinks or appetizers. I gathered from looking online that is fairly comparable to other restaurants in North Beach. I thought that for a place that claims to put food on its garlic the food was not as potent as I was expecting. The strongest thing I ate was the pesto for the rolls. I wish they didn't stop bringing them when the meal came. Overall, the food was good. When we there, there was a group of loud, obnoxious people near us. I don't hold that against the restaurant. But it did not make for the most pleasant experience.
(4)
Hammer Time H.

very good food. the name definitely fits the place. i've tried most things on the menu and haven't been disappointed. bring plenty of gum for after though!
(4)
Mansi A.

I had heard about this restaurant in SF for years, but just never made it out there to try it, since it requires you to have a love for, like for, or at least tolerance for...GARLIC! This restaurant definitely knows its garlic, and it prepares it well. I finally went to the restaurant with my family (my only known fellow garlic afficionados). We started off our meal by ordering the famous Bagna Calda (garlic soaking in a hot tub). Don't miss this appetizer! It's definitely not for the faint at heart, but true garlic lovers will be madly in love with this, as I was. The roasted garlic cloves are soaked in olive oil and simply melt in your mouth when consumed. It's a fabulous topping with the warm bread they serve. The bread was pretty average compared to what you find in other Italian restaurants; a rustic touch bread would have been a nicer accompaniment. For the meal portion, we ordered the pizza margherita, clam pasta (which I didn't try), arugula pesto pasta, and the gnocchetti. All of the dishes I tasted were good! The pizza was pretty standard, nothing special about that. The clam pasta was served with black linquine that was pretty unique. The arugula pesto pasta was a fettuccine pasta, but slightly salty due to the sun dried tomatoes. The gnocchetti was served with asparagus and toasted pine nuts and was among some of the best gnochhi I've had. The flavors and ingredients tasted very fresh. The ambiance was really nice. The space was very small, but they had cute individual booths available, which offered a very intimate appeal. The only downside to those booths is that they were so cramped together that you could overhear your neighbors conversation and felt like you were dining with them. Some other folks have written reviews claiming the restaurant is a tourist trap, but it didn't really come across such a place. The food was good, the service was friendly, it was reasonably priced for the area. I didn't see the tourist trap aspect. If you're a garlic fan, or know of a garlic fan, you have to try this restaurant! It's a unique dining experience. Don't miss it.
(3)
Diane S.

Garlic in a hot tub, garlic steamed clams, halibut; all very delicious. A little pricey, but I knew that going in. Took awhile to see our server and get drinks, but after that the service was excellent.
(4)
Jeff L.

Went on a friend's recommendation. I like garlic, and still fairly repulsive. I gave half a bottle of wine away to the table next to me, and left to eat normal food that was not 75% garlic, 25% protein.
(1)
Nancy L.

i really don't know why this place has so many bad reviews. i guess one bad experience can get a negative impact on someone, i know i've had some of those with certain restaurants. i actually came here with a friend because another restaurant we wanted to go to was completely booked and we didn't want to wait 30 minutes for a table since we don't live in the city and would have to drive home after dinner. and we came here because we passed by it and i remember seeing the name on yelp, but forgot how the reviews were on here. we took a gander at the menu and decided "why the hell not?" we both like garlic anyways. firstly, i didn't really feel that it was more or less a tourist trap. we walked by two restaurants earlier that try to get us to come eat at their restaurant, now those seems more like tourist trap type restaurants. no one here try to bribe us to come in. we got seated right away at a table right by the window, which is weird for me cause i don't like people walking by and seeing me eat, but i was starving, so oh well. onto the food... we had the garlic soaked clams for an appetizer and it was absolutely delicious. the sauce it came with was nicely seasoned and flavor and the small dish was enough for two people and priced good at $15. i ordered the garlic prime rib and my friend ordered the baby back ribs. i have to say the prime rib was one of the best i ever had. it was moist and tender and so flavorful. the garlic wasn't over powering and it added just the right about of flavoring to it. i savored every bite and even though it was kind of pricey at $30, it was a big portion and i was stuffed when i was all finished, even though i gave some to my friend as well. and as for my friend's baby back ribs he said it was delicious and not dried out at all and it fell off the bone when he ate it. unfortunately we didn't have room for dessert since we were so full from all the yummy food. i think people should definitely give this place a chance. i did and i was not disappointed.
(4)
Than V.

The garlic relish on the table is delicious--put it on everything! Service was quick and food was good enough. Probably worth a try.
(4)
Luis Q.

Heres a restaurant I have been wanting to come to for years. I finally got a chance when I was in the city yesterday. This is probably the best smelliest restaurant around. If u don't mind smelling like garlic for the rest of the day I would recommend checking this place out, but bringing a date here would probably not be the best idea unless you love garlic breath of course and are planning on slaying vampires afterwards! We started off with Badgna Calda which is Garlic cloves roasted in olive oil. This was really good with the bread they gave us and started us off right away on that garlicy goodness. I decided to order the rabbit, normaly I don't like to eat cute furry creatures but I wanted to try something different. I wa glad I did cause it was really good. The skin especially was very tasty. It came with mashed patatoes with olives all over the platter. The olives really added to this place and the mashed potatoes were delicious as well. I wanted to try the Garlic Ice Cream but I was too full for anything more. I will have to come back to try some of their desserts!
(4)
Danielle B.

We went there with friends (garlic lovers, all!) on Saturday, expecting a good time, but were treated to anything but. We had a reservation, and so were able to get seated without too much wait. After being seated with no server in sight for 10 minutes, someone came over and asked if we would move to a different table because apparently the table they had seated us at had been reserved by someone else. Issues continued into the food-eating. The garlic in a hot tub app was yummy, though getting more bread to go with it took a lot of work. The main courses were a mess though. my friend got her fish with the completely wrong sauce and had to send it back. Mine and another friends' dishes were drastically over-salted. The seafood seemed ok, but two of my friends had food poisoning for 24 hrs afterwards, so not a good bet on that front either. Overall, given the lousy service, over-salted food, too-loud-to-talk atmosphere, and food poisoning, I won't be going back.
(2)
Mr. E.

I've been here twice and although I can get down with the idea of overloading everything with garlic...garlic is cheap. This place isn't. For a small plate of pasta I shouldn't be paying $14-$15. Not at a place like this. I'll even take Boca de Beppo over this. At least there you get a huge plate of food for your money. Plus our waiter (who looked like David Blaine with bleached tips) sucked donkey balls. I won't be back.
(2)
John C.

My wife and I visited mid-afternoon during the week. It was not crowded and the service was so slow we almost walked out. The food was really good. I had the 40 clove chicken and enjoyed it very much. Food is very potent with garlic, decor is interesting and fun. We had a window seat which was enjoyable for people watching on the streets of San Fran.
(3)
Joyce B.

My bf took me here because he's a big garlic lover. I'm not so fond of garlic, but decided to give this place a shot. I definitely liked the decor of the restaurant. As you walk in, there's garlic everywhere from walls to ceilings. We got there around 9PM and there wasn't much of a wait, which was good. The waitress took us to our table, which involved zigzagging through different rooms. I felt as if I were going through a maze. Finally, we settled in the patio outside the restaurant. It was nice little patio with bright light decor, though slightly dim. I ordered the Lemon-butter Garlic Caper Sauce with Green Onion on Sea Bass. I couldn't quite taste the garlic. The fish was pretty good, though I thought the sauce was ok. It was somewhat sour and salty. The waiter recommended it. I guess it was more or less a normal seafood/fish dish. I mainly gave this place a 4 or 4.5 star because of its garlic ice cream. I didn't think I was going to like because the idea of garlic and sweets don't seem to blend. However, I decided to try it. It was quite interesting. The garlic flavor was quite strong, but it was surprisingly good with the blended fudge. Definitely recommend it.
(4)
Dana G.

You know, I really really liked the Stinking Rose my first time there- a couple of months ago. That time, a friend and I sat by the window in the most normal room and totally enjoyed our food, the service, and the atmosphere. We had fun! Even in comparatively the most boring room, we thought we'd had great seats. All in all, a great experience. Then a couple weeks ago, I returned to the Stinking Rose with my boyfriend. The experience was the same... but different. This time I wasn't so excited that my pasta *only* $15 (because the bill really adds up when you order cocktails, appetizers, etc.), and though we sat in one of the more interesting rooms, but just didn't meet my expectations of greatness... And oh- both times we had a garllic mishap: beware the crazy delicious complementary garlic spread, because both times we ate too much of it and felt like we were 100% made of garlic later on.... I think I'll try it again and see how this restaurant fares upon a third visit.
(3)
J C.

I came here with a friend and we were delighted by the garlic smells that wafted in the streets of Columbus as we approached the front door. We had Bagna Calda for the appetizer. And it was so delicious! Literally the waitress set a pan of garlic, olive oil and a hint of anchovy. It looks a little intimidating at first because of the amount of garlic that is in the sauce but when you put in your mouth, the garlic melts and the taste is so delightful and rich. This was my favorite part of the meal and I would come back strictly for only this appetizer. We ordered the Sea Bass with the Cherry Tomato, garlic and olives. My friend ordered the Tilapia with Lemon Butter caper sauce with green onions. The food was edible and decent but not so DELICIOUS. We were able to substitute our side dish with garlic potatoes.
(3)
Rachel S.

I went with my honey during our 2nd year anniversary weekend getaway. We loooooved the calda bagna! I am not much for appetizers (I tend to get too full and not have room for dinner). But seriously it was the most delicious garlic I have EVER had! I ordered the Silence of the Lamb Shank and m honey Jorge ordered the 40 clove chicken which being the person that he is he counted out each clove to be sure that he was indeed getting his 40 cloves. The food is amazing. I ate it all! My lamb was very good. The only thing is...the aftermath of so much garlic is not pretty. I spent a long night in and out of the bathroom, Jorge too. Garlic is supposed to be good for you tho right?
(4)
Me Y.

garlic, garlic, garlic.... which I love, but this place seemed a little gimmicky about it... took my wife and two kids there for dinner... Her and I got the whole crab and a glass of house wine each, and the kids got the neon raviolis and soda... then we had coffee and dessert... this all added up to $175+. I didn't think any of the food was that great, and the service was prompt but unfriendly.. I will say though the Tiramasu was the best I've ever had I think I'll try another North Beach restaurant next time
(2)
Noelle L.

I was soo disappointed with this restaurant I had heard from many that it was terrific. However besides the decor it did not get much better, the menu was small as where the portions. Sides to dishes are al a carte so if you want to fill up you pay the buck to do it. I ordered alfredo noodles (which was not listed on the menu) and they did not seem to taste right, the alfredo sauce did not taste fresh and had a funky aftertaste (which was not garlis which is what I had first thought it was). Overall though I am glad that I have experienced the most touristy italian restaurant in North Beach because I will not have to go back again
(2)
Katie W.

3.5 stars. Garlic, garlic, garlic. I love you and always use more of you than the recipe calls for. My uncle has been raving about Stinking Rose so I finally went with a bunch of friends last week. The restaurant inside is much bigger than the outside leads you to believe. There are nooks and crannies with tables all over the place. We started out with the garlic spread appetizer - very good. I had the mussel and shrimp skillet which was sizzling and buttery. Garlic ice cream was also really interesting - mostly vanilla with a hint of garlic. I think I liked everything I had but in the end it was just a bit too much of a good thing :) Overall, it was good food. I'd go back if I had friends in town that wanted to go but probably not otherwise. Also, I think I kind of smelled when I left so don't go here before any big plans :)
(3)
Leslie K.

I love garlic, so it was hard not to like this place. Still, my entree was not overly impressive, although the onion soup and garlic paste/bread was. Another plus was we had 9 people and were sat right away on a Friday night at 8pm. Pretty sure that was just luck, but it did make the experience very nice. Not bad as far as touristy places go
(4)
Chris M.

I just love this restaurant - everything garlic! What more could you ask for? I took my mother here (a garlic lover) and she went nuts. Lessons learned: 1. don't go nuts on garlic if you're rooming in the same hotel room, and 2. don't take home garlic leftovers if you're sharing the same hotel room. Regardless, it's always great at the Stinking Rose. I love the location - - in the middle of a very exciting area along Broadway and Columbus. You can take a walk down Little Italy after dinner and stop at a coffee shop nearby. They have awesome garlic relish, 40 clove garlic chicken, garlic cioppino is really good too, as well as the mussels and clams. The garlic ice cream isn't too shabby either. If you're a garlic lover, you have to check this place out!! They take reservations which I highly recommend and it's always busy too! Love this place!
(5)
Lisa A.

i usually go here when i'm in the city for a concert. arrive at least a half hour early to search for parking or take a cab. the location leaves lots to be desired in the way of parking. tables are SMALL, so don't plan on stretching out or having lots of room. your plates will take up the whole table. parked on each table is a jar of lovely kelley-green garlic concoction to put on rolls. DELICIOUS, and although the jar is full at the beginning of the meal, we always ended up asking for a refill. i could eat just this and not order anything else. i usually get the lasagna. it's good. not super good, but definitely better than most. one time, a friend and i were being seated and one of the chefs passed us to go outside to take a break. when he passed, he passed garlic gas to boot. good sign to know that the chefs eat here, too.
(4)
Kelly G.

Definitely a once in a lifetime experience, but thats probably it. The Bagna Calda was delicious! For those who don't know, they have garlic cloves in olive oil and cooked/roasted until the garlic cloves was a butter softness and easily spreadable on their cheese baked breads. My friends and I could have easily just came in for the bagna calda and be done with dinner. We ate 3 plates of bread! If anything, I would come back just for this dish. My friends and I ordered a little bit of everything - entrees did not have anything overly garlicky. Instead, the restaurant garnishes with garlic cloves: Spicy Prawns - fettuccine with nicely cooked prawns in a tomato sauce. Nothing special. Prime rib - rib was yum yum! but not worth the price. The only thing different is that they serve little cloves of garlic on top the steak. Served with mashed potato and cream of...chard? Meatloaf - was interestingly made with bits of cauliflower in the meatloaf itself. well seasoned but again, nothing too spectacular. also served with mashed potatoes and chard. Rabbit - tastes like pork on chicken bones. thats the best I can describe it. also served with mashed potatoes. Didn't have room for the garlic ice cream, but I'm sure I could get a scoop at a cheaper price in Gilroy. Overall nice experience, probably try other neighboring restaurants for good Italian food.
(3)
Sasha V.

I was chewing on my salad, when I saw something white moving on my salad leaf. I looked closer and saw that there were bugs in my salad. They were little lettuce afits, admittedly, but still! I pointed it out to our waiter. He took the salad bowl and said, "Oh, again... Do you want me to remove it?" I thought he was asking me if I want my bugs removed from the salad. My boyfriend thought he was asking if we want the salad to be removed from our bill. As if synchronized, we both said "Ahm... YEAH!" The only reason they're getting 2 stars is because they're one of the only places in town to serve rabbit. But even with that, I vow never to come back to this tourist trap with its unwashed lettuce.
(2)
Kee G.

If you love garlic, then this is the place to go! We had ordered steak, calms, mussels, crab, and garlic noodles. The calms and mussels were great, however, the crab was a bit dry. I definitely wouldn't order crab again but I would definitely go here for some more mussels and calms!
(3)
Maria K.

I love their decor, especially the one that has red/purple circus theme I would say. I don't know how to explain it, but anyways! But it's really crowded and packed. Their food is pretty good, especially since I love garlic. I don't think it's amazing, but they are good. When I visit San Francisco, I do visit here sometimes because I like the decor and garlic.
(3)
Ann L.

I been here a few times. I do not enjoy their food anymore. The steak is alright and their five clove chicken is decent. I do not like the sauce they put on the chicken. Their mussels are okay but if you eat too much you get tired of it. Their dessert tiramisu cake was delicious, try it!
(2)
Mark M.

3.75 in reality. Yes the prices are high. Yes it's a tourist trap - but we were tourists. We also got really lucky with a group of ten at dinner. We didn't have reservations and there was no wait. The Dungeoness Crab FEAST was pretty great. A fair amount of food for the price. The service was good. Lasagna = divine. I wouldn't go back, but I enjoyed my time there.
(4)
nick a.

Almost died of Garlic overdose at this place. I basically ate this $5 bucket of garlic with bread to myself. It was awesome! The only problem was That i farted for the next 24 hours straight. It was worth it. The garlic thing is no gimmick here, they put it on everything.
(4)
Kimberly S.

If you want to come to The Stinking Rose around dinner time, make sure to make a reservation online through their site. If you don't and it's quite busy and has people waiting, it'll take 20-45 minutes. Luckily I made reservations fast and easy. Now the food... for 20 bucks a dish it was quite a big portion. Appetizers were okay. The fondue was pretty salty. The mashed potatoes that come with the main courses was good, very yummy. I had the pork chop, it was okay nothing amazing. All of the garlic in the dishes was subtle so you could taste it but it wasn't over powering the actual food. The garlic ice cream was actually the most garlic I tasted out of the whole meal. It's sweet on first taste. The after taste you could REALLY taste the garlic. It was the only thing that made me feel like I needed a mint. But the portion was good for a small group, just because I doubt many people would want to finish that much in one sitting.
(3)
Jason I.

The garlic thing OK awesome idea and gimmick. This place is a perfect tourist destination. One of the place you can say yeah I ate there. Would I go back probably not. The food is outrageously priced. I love garlic as much as the next guy but seriously. Two cloves or garlic at the store cost what 50 cents? We had the infamous appetizer bowl of garlic with bread and garlic oil. It was pretty good except for the fact that an hour later my stomach felt like it was going to explode. No human should ever consume that much garlic at one time. For dinner we shared the garlic encrusted ribs. They were the driest ribs I have ever had. The garlic did nothing to save the flavour. And for 22 bucks you should get your moneys worth in my opinion. I get tired of the excuse of the ribs being smoked that's why they are dry. Bull Crap I live in the dry-est state in the nation Arizona and I can go to 5 different rib places here and get the moistest smoked ribs you ever had! The ribs came with garlic mashed potatoes. Again whats the big deal. There weren't even any garlic chunks in it. I think they just puree the garlic into the potatoes. The service was OK. I think she was kind of mad that we shared but hey what can you do when your dinners are between 22-40 bucks. Here are a couple of things you should expect -service OK -be crammed into a small table -food to be gimmicky and mediocre -expect to pay up the wazoo -to leave with a stomach ache Overall try it once to say you did it and like I said before try it is a tourist destination so you will earn your stripe as a foodie eating here.
(2)
Nancee L.

I have always loved the Stinking Rose but tonight was a nightmare! Upon entering the hostess told us that there would be a 20 minute wait for a table. I explained that we had a reservation and she said it is still a 20 minute wait. After 20 minutes they brought us to a tine outdoor table and it was cold out. We asked to move inside so they brought us to a tiny table that barely seated four in the middle of a walkway. My husband (who had just had surgery) kept getting bumped into by busboys and patrons. I asked to speak to the manager and politely complained - he didn't care. The food was so mediocre that we had to go for fast food on the way home.
(1)
Hiroyuki T.

LOVE IT!!! I finished the entire green garlic olive oil dip for your bread and needed to get a refill! Then came the slow cooked garlic cloves, which my friend and I devoured. And then my main course was lamb with garlic mashed potatoes and greens. Sooo appetizing and soo pleasing. I love you garlic, and I love you stinking rose. If you love garlic too, then you need to definitely check this place out!
(4)
Hannah L.

Small little Italian restaurant that makes the majority of their food with garlic or have some type of garlic in the food. I've come here about 3 times and each time was better for me, since I wasn't too familiar with their small menu. The last visit was most memorable. It was my boyfriend's birthday so we decided why not go to the city and dine there. When we got there, parking was a total disaster since it's either on the street or paying for parking in a private small lot. We finally found parking like 3 blocks away from the restaurant and took an adventurous route to the restaurant. When we arrived, I told the host that I had a reservation for two and right when she was taking us in, I got real excited because the interior was small but yet had that candle-lit romantic feel to the scenary. I remember calling and making the reservation 2 weeks in advanced and specifically told the host to reserve "good seating" for the birthday boy and all. To my dismay, when she sat us down, we had the worst seating ever! Due to this I bumped down the rating one star. I was disappointed since I heard so much raves and rants about how this restaurant has good food and good service. After she sat us down, I spoke to our waiter and see if he could move us to a more "roomy and convenient" spot. In the end, we got our way, but it took so long...After we got situated, we started with the garlic mussells and clams and they were delicious! i love the garlic oil sauce they give you to dip the seafood into, that's what made it most memorable. For our main dishes we ordered lamb meat and neon ravioli. My boyfriend liked the lamb meat and thought the portion was fairly sized and he liked how the meat was seasoned along with fresh steamed vegetables and garlic mouth-watering mashpotatoes. My neon ravioli wasn't too bad either, considering the ravioli was filled with potatoes kind of like gnocchi. It was fairly light for such a starch stuffed dinner. The cream sauce for the ravioli was very creamy and cheesy. Felt too oily for me, in my opinion. The place has strands of garlic hanging from the ceiling which I thought was pretty clever and creative since it's called "the stinking rose." Overall, not a bad place to dine. The reason I gave it 3 stars though is because the seating mishap and the pain in the butt to find parking. Also the location of the restaurant isn't too convenient for those that don't take frequent trips to the city so beaware.
(3)
Melanie B.

I've been there three times and I would go back again. But all three times I ordered the chicken and asparagus pasta, and all three times there's been a fatty chicken piece in there and it kind of ruins the meal for me. I would probably get it again, minus the chicken. The garlic pesto spread is amazing and you definately don't need too much or your mouth will set on fire! I have to give props to the garlic swiss chard fontina fondue appetizer, it's flippin' amazing! I would eat just that as a meal times two! They are very pricey, but food is good enough. The waiters seem kind of snotty though. The first time I went there my friend just wanted spaghetti and meat sauce and the waiter said, "oh, you want the children's spaghetti." Kind of embarrassed him. And the last time I went the waiter wouldn't punch the numbers of my credit card into the machine so I could pay for the meal (my card was de-magnitized) even though I specifically asked him to and he said he couldn't...I work in a restaurant myself, anything is possible. Other than that, goooood food.
(4)
Fancypants X.

You've died & gone to garlic heaven-that's what it feels like to eat at The Stinking Rose. The Good: - Bagna Calda- garlic, oil, anchovy spread. Who knew garlic could be this tender and spreadable? - The restaurant's decor is fun & reminiscent of jesters & royalty with all the gold & heavy red curtains in the back room. The front of the restaurant has a little more light & reminds me of someone's Italian grandparent's house with all those pictures & knick knacks on the wall. - they serve whole dungeness crab (my favorite kind) in their garlic sauce & it is a delicious, hot mess ($35.) - good place for bigger groups because portions are large enough to share. The Bad: - Service is never really that great. You basically have to beg to have your water glass refilled & the last time we came here, our waiter didn't check on us at all. This is what happens when everyone in & visiting SF wants Italian food at the same time-there are other places, people! - Parking is a son of a bitch. - If you don't have a reservation, the wait can also be a son of a bitch. - Prices are high, but on par with other Italian restaurants in the area. The Ugly: - Garlic smell will ooze out of your pores for days after eating here, but at least it will keep vampires from biting you.
(3)
Shweta V.

You really gotta like garlic to enjoy this place! Everything on the menu has garlic....try the crabs. Good bread. Funky ambience on the rear side of the restaurant...they've tried some middle-eastern theme there with curtains etc. Friendly staff, good service. Worth a visit once, especially if you have out-of-town visitors, or are with a large group.
(3)
A L.

We are from New Orleans so we have High expectations for "good" food. Well someone from our hotel staff recommended this place and we were very disappointed. I had the stuffed ravioli, and it was flavorless to say the least. My girlfriend had the meatloaf and it was dry and tasted like warmed ground meat. no seasoning.... Then there was the staff, we were CLEARLY tourist, but come on, thats what we were! so he didn't get our drink order for the first 15 minutes we were there, then once we got our food he did not check on us until we were ready for the check. Although he checked on the table across from us ( clearly locals) a bunch of times. We are in the service industry so we are very good tippers but couldn't bring ourselves to leave a good tip for such a bad waiter. so treat me like a tourist and i'll tip you like a tourist! but loooved our visit to San franscico!
(1)
Danny H.

I have eaten at this place once every few years, usually when entertaining out-of-town guests. At each visit, the menu seems pared down to an ever-smaller selection of ever-more-expensive items. Nowadays the menu is basically an over-sized greeting card, prominently steering you to the $40 steak. This place is perhaps worth visiting once when you have someone coming to town who loves garlic and really digs kitschy stuff. The food is good and filling, but the bill outweighs the value I would assign to the experience. After a few visits over the course of the decade, this place has lost its appeal and my visit on Sunday was likely my last.
(2)
Julian M.

Came here with a large group and they were quite accommodating considering how tight most spaces in the city are. The garlic appetizer was interesting, and it was fun to see garlic in just about everything, but I have to say that overall it seemed more like a gimmick than a true celebration of garlic. The meatloaf was a bit on the dry side and didn't have quite enough sauce. The chunks of garlic in it were somewhat difficult to taste after I'd been bombarded with so much garlic smell for half an hour. The garlic ice cream was interesting, but mostly it just had a weird aftertaste. Don't get me wrong; the food wasn't bad--it was pretty good, but nothing special.
(3)
Alice C.

I was so excited when a friend decided to hold his birthday party here, because I've been hearing a lot of good things about the food (and the garlic) here. The garlic spread for the bread was the highlight of the meal. Everyone else seemed to enjoyed the Bagna Calda, but to me it was just a greasy mess. My primerib was tough and so-so, and didn't really taste garlicky at all. Nobody particularly enjoyed their entrÃ©e - everybody thought they were OK. The garlic ice cream definitely was interesting, however, the fusion of those 2 foods just did not appeal to me...this is just a personal preference though. At the end of the meal though, everybody was greased out. Everything was way too greasy (even the garlic spread! I've never been greased out on olive oil before). Not sure I'd go back again. A note: The floors there were super greasy. We had to sit on the 2nd floor and I was wearing heels -- almost slipped a couple times!
(3)
Tiffany L.

I love garlic! Pros: - Service- Attentive - Food- We tried the 40 Clove chicken and Garlic Encrusted baby back ribs; the chicken was yummmmy and the baby back ribs were OK, a little dry, and if you add the BBQ sauce, you can't taste the garlic-ky-good-ness of the ribs. - Ambiance: great for families, groups. Awesome/funny things for sale up front too. - Free birthday cake and Garlic man toy for birthday person! Cons: - Can be a little pricy, but is average for Italian foods. - I had garlic breath for the longest time. - Parking can get tough. I love garlic!
(4)
Valerie H.

I loved this because, and this is important, I LOOOOOOOVE garlic. If you don't love garlic, don't come here. They are two cloves away from having garlic-flavored table cloths and garlic flavored hand soap. Really though, they actually do have garlic flavored ice cream. I got the porkchop... and it was pretty tasty. A teensy bit dry, but the garlic was definitely the forefront in flavor to the point you hardly noticed it. The carmelized apples that went with it were delicious though, and complemented the pork chop well. A little pricey for my tastes, and the variety wasn't as substantial as I'd hoped. Service was pretty good, but since we were there on a Tuesday, they were probalby running on minimum staff. One more server on the floor would've served them well. All in all, a decent place, if I could give it 3.5 stars I would.
(3)
Jodie J.

TOURIST TRAP (do you even need to read on?) Selection - minimal. Mona Lisa #3 is right next door w/ 1/2 the seating space and 4x the menu selection Taste - greasy, and not traditional at all. You think they couldn't go wrong smothering everything in garlic. Turns out, you CAN destroy food with garlic. Who knew? Price - the same as Mona Lisa #3, so just go there instead. Service - we had a large group, yes (12 people), but we had more than 1 server. The server on my end of the table honestly look like i was putting him in pain by asking clarifying questions about the disappointing menu. Just go to Mona Lisa #3. At the VERY LEAST, they are always friendlier there. Parking in North Beach sucks anyway, so if you're going to make the effort, go somewhere worth it.
(2)
Jeff T.

You need to have the Bagna Calda if you like garlic. I do like this place, not sure why the reviews are so low. It is a touristy place. I like going here with friends. Just be prepared to smell like garlic the next day. I suggest making reservations.
(4)
Maggie L.

I do not understand the appeal of this place and why it always so busy. Waitresses are snotty. Supposedly, they are known to be garlic crazy. My friend had the rabbit and I think I remember having some sort of beef dish. Both of which lacked the intense garlic flavor I was anticipating. Always crowded as hell in there, especially in the front since everyone's waiting for a table.
(2)
Efrain G.

Packed place. lot of people, especially tourists lined up. Our party of four was seated pretty quickly with a quick call ahead. Not a big deal. When inside, it's a bit cramped, and surprisingly, it doesn't smell terribly like garlic. We were lucky to get a nice table by a window. We had the bagna calda -- which sounded awesome, but was "okay". It's good to try it out for first-time visit or as a tradition I guess. I had the 40-clove garlic chicken. Pretty good, lots of garlic, but not overpowering, and not as full of flavour as I had expected. That's subjective I suppose. Others had angel hair pasta dish with a bunch of baby tomatoes (apparently good), and I forgot what else. Their standard bread was good. And the garlic 'salsa'/spread that's on every table is pretty awesome too. Very garlicky. Overall, The Stinking Rose is a cool experience and atmosphere. It's a bit cramped, and the service is so-so, and the food is good.
(3)
abraham r.

*Good tasting food, fast service, lovely decor!* I have been coming here for the last 3 yrs. There are a handful of different seating section, each with its own individual character. I prefer the booths for 2, there are hundreds of corks, and Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling. The lighting can be romantic, though i did notice MY allergies shot thru the roof (hmmm..i wonder if it was the garlic?). The menu is pretty well equipped with options so deciding might be tough. I love the "Silence of the Lamb Shank w/fava beans and Chianti glaze (yummy). The Bagna Calda is awesome if you love garlic, oh and the many picture frames of celebrities like Frank, Sammy Jr, Ali, etc just takes you back to the "heydays". Overall this place is a must when visiting SF and remember "They garnish their garlic with food".
(4)
Eileen L.

First of all , let me start off by saying I love garlic . But nothing on the menu seemed appetizing or delicious to me . The so-called " foccacia " bread was so not foccacia bread . It was more like weird-tasting stale breadsticks . My friend got the steamed clams with garlic sauce which tasted okay but the taste got very tiring . The black linguine with clams that I ordered was basically the same thing as what my friend had ordered except for it had tasteless black linguine . I don't think I'll ever be back again .
(1)
K T.

I've had the pleasure of visiting this place twice and while it wasn't earth-shattering good it was decent and had a good amount of charm. I thought the most interesting decor in there were the braids of garlic hanging on the walls. Not for the sensitive to smells person to be sure. This past weekend I was here for a first date (yes odd choice but his coworkers suggested it as maybe a prank and he had no idea what "Stinking" stood for) and we had lunch. I really like their appetizer "bagna cauda" Thanks Gabriel I would not have remembered how to spell that thing! which is basically roasted garlic steeping in some sort of oil (I think olive) warmed over a candle. My date looked at me strangely as I proceeded to pick up a few of the garlic cloves and smoosh it on the house rolls that it came with. He asked "are you sure that's how you eat it?" I say "Uh, sure, why not? There's bread and there's garlic what else are you supposed to do with it?". It was good however you can get it in your mouth and I'm not a stickler for eating decorum. There's no garlicky aftertaste to this at all so this would be good for those people who were planning to kiss later. I got the Margherita pizzete because that's what I always get when I go to Italian places and it was good. With cherry tomatoes and a thin crust. I had my trusty Tums ready for the heartburn that was sure to come whenever I had tomato so I didn't mind. My date had some sort of fish but I was just busy eating my food and not look a fool while carrying on conversation to notice whether it was good or not. We shared the Garlic ice cream with Caramel mole for dessert, because that's definitely their house specialty. Where else besides the Garlic festival are you going to get to eat Garlic ice cream? This, however, had a very strong raw garlic smell so I could do without it. It's more for the novelty anyway. The mole was good but when is caramel not good? All in all pretty fun place that's not stuffy, I think there's a "Vampires beware sign" and when my date called for reservations he said the person had the "dracula" accent.
(3)
Gabriel B.

If you're in North Beach and happen to be a big garlic fan then give in to your curiosity and try The Stinking Rose. The entire menu is themed around garlic as its primary flavor and ingredient. I like the bagna cauda as an appetizer. Its a oven roasted cloves with a hint of anchovy (not fishy at all in fact it has barely any taste other than garlic and salt, the cooking process has disolved most of it) Its a great spread over bread. The rabbit dish is my favorite. The quality and consistency of the food has maintained over the years. (I 'm a sucker but I keep coming back here) It's nothing fantastic, amazing, to die for, but its good meal. The rest of the food that I have sampled also meets a good standard and its important to mention the Italian influenced dishes, it is in North Beach after all.
(3)
Gabe R.

I really, really liked this place. The bread with garlic olive oil and balsamic vinegar to start it... OH SO GOOD. I'm a fan of garlic, so to warn everyone, this will be somewhat biased. I don't remember what I got, but I think it was fish... and that was good. Oh my god, this is a vampire's worst nightmare. The garlic here is good and I just love the food. Too bad it's overpriced. The ambiance is really nice though, and the servers are friendly. I'd definitely go back to the stinking rose for the next big occassion/reason I get.
(4)
Jo Jo C.

Stinking Rose True to the name....My farts smell like stinking garlic now! So the question is, was it worth it? I would say yes it was... Took an easy cab ride from our hotel to check out this Italian wonder. It was an eventful evening nevertheless. We were seated quickly near a street side window. We were excited to try the food and we were also the center of a lot of window traffic. At our particular table there was a cold draft of wind beating on us, until we asked the waiter to shut down the fan blowing directly on us. First out the main appetizer, a bowl of saturated garlic and a very light serving of anchovies. This is served with a plate of bread.....make sure that your bread is warm. If not you are missing out! It was awesomely good. This is the part where if you eat enough you are purchasing a garlic filled farting contest with your eating mate.... I tried the baby back ribs and the 1/2 plat of crab. Both were outstanding and served with garlic of course... We finished the night with a chocolate sundae and a glass of hot chocolate. Both were above average and tasty. Neither was served with garlic... Great food, good service, and worth a try...
(3)
Liz T.

I absolutely love garlic. I always double or triple the amount of garlic in recipes. I wasn't excited to try The Stinking Rose, however, because it seemed like a themed tourist trap. Why would I want to eat garlic with a side of food? My boyfriend insisted on it and I didn't have a basis for my opinion, so we found ourselves there for Sunday dinner with a couple of friends. Although none of us were that hungry, the four of us inadvertently ordered three appetizers: the bagna calda (garlic soaking in a hot tub), the mussels on a sizzling iron skillet, and the garlic baked brie. My favorite appetizer was the roasted mussels. They were big, plump, naturally sweet, and very flavorful. The roasted garlic in the bagna calda was really good--it was mellow smothered in butter, EVOO, and anchovy and yummy atop a bite of foccacia. I didn't care too much for the garlic baked brie because it was just that--garlic with brie, which you can make at home for $5 while virtually sleepwalking. As if this wasn't enough food, we also had entrees. I had the clams with black linguine and sampled some of my boyfriend's zuppa di pesce (seafood in a spicy tomato brodetto). The clam linguine was as special as Chef Boyardee (read: generic). The pasta wasn't fresh and the sauce, bland. I did, however, enjoy the zuppa di pesce. It had a lot of seafood and plenty of flavor, and the small was perfect for one person surprisingly. I was pretty happy with the meal overall. I felt incredibly gross the next morning, though, when I was still breathing and sweating garlic. I think it was the garlic pesto on the table--paralyzingly intense, deadly stinky, no more than one teaspoon should be consumed per seating. Besides that, I had a stinkin' good time. I just really need to remember to brush my teeth five times before bed.
(4)
Dee K.

It's just okay. Worth stopping for a quick drink and the roasted garlic appetizer if you happen to be nearby.
(3)
L Y.

After the roasted garlic in oil appetizer you get the idea. No need to continue. Everything is oily and the only this that has taste there is the oily roasted garlic they add as a side to the dish which is very similar to the appetizer. If you feel like garlic, have the appetizer and go have dinner somewhere else.
(2)
Jeremy S.

Food (basil and potato ravioli), drink (carafe of house red), atmosphere (eclectic, cluttered, too many photos, hanging garlic, hanging bottles, etc...) and service (good to start, but then left for the night) were all good. The garlic was bountiful, and we enjoyed ourselves.
(4)
Ashlei T.

This is a major tourist Trap. We were invited here for a birthday party on a Saturday evening. In my opinion this is a set up for a great night...MY BAD! We arrive and ask where are party is seated, they have no idea what I am talking about, and with no help from the hostess, I decided to find them myself. After finding my group I have discovered they have placed us randomly between 3 or 4 table..ughhh...that is not party service, that is multiple tables on one tab!! They finally were nice enough to move us upstairs to a larger room, where it was hot. So imagine, hot, garlicky, party diners, FUN...right...NOT! If I had to judge the people we were with I would give this place a 5. But far as food goes, this place was pretty average. The lamb my friend had was very tender, (BUT I KNOW THEY COOKED IN A STEAMER) My beef was good, (THIS WAS ALSO COOKED IN A STEAMER) and I had some of my bosses pork which was pretty average. All in all this food was fine, it just was not spectacular like they claim it to be. Just a lot of hype.
(3)
Eric L.

after looking at the menu online, i was sold because 1. i love garlic 2. i love prime rib and they have garlic roasted prime rib!! unfortunately, i didn't read any yelp reviews before coming here. i shouldve because the prime rib really sucked. low quality meat that you get at a buffet (like hometown buffet, not bellagio buffet). the mashed potatoes were like KFC mashed potatoes and the chard (fake creamed spinach?) was just gross. next time, i will just bring my own cloves of garlic to house of prime rib. gf got the sizzling shrimp and the roasted garlic potato onion soup. those two were pretty good (i'd give them 4 stars), but she cheated because she's been to the beverly hills location. (supposedly it's a lot better too) the waiter pretty much ignored us the whole time. i had to prevent my gf from chewing his head off because he promised me a "birthday surprise" the birthday surprise was just a piece of cake, but at least it was free. i hate those places where they agree to do something for bday celebrations and end up charging you $20 for a sparkler on a cupcake. oh yeah, this place is across the street from a bunch of stripclubs. and one of the rooms smelled like a frat house. and dont take a nap after eating here because your mouth will taste like ass.
(3)
Cheryl P.

I've been here the last 3 times to celebrate friend's bday parties. I guess it's the place to be for celebrations of 10+. Warning: They will NOT seat your party until everyone has arrived. An hour later, we were finally seated. The food has always been decent. I've had the lamb and prime rib and both were just OK. This time I decided to try their baby back ribs recommended by our waiter. Great choice! The meat was seasoned well and was very tender. Some of us shared the bagna calda and garlic swiss chard fontina fondue to start. Both were pretty good! Since every other table there was celebrating a bday, we must've sang the song literally 10 times! Everyone had fun and service was good.
(3)
Susan D.

Hmmm, praise by word of mouth finally took my friends and me to The Stinking Rose but really, we wish we'd have kept to our 3.5 stars or higher expectations and skipped it. It's ok, but just not worth it. Let's recap... we had 2 orders of lasagna, a pork chop, the 40 clove chicken and a prime rib. The prime rib was well instead of medium, the pork chop was overcooked and dry, the lasagna was good but had little pasta and was much lighter than you'd expect (could've used some meat)... the only dish that was a complete success was the 40 clove chicken, which was moist and tasty... but also tasted pretty typical to me. That being said... the signature spreadable garlic appetizer and complimentary raw garlic spread were great! If only the rest of the meal had been on the same level. The restaurant is also very cute and our server was nice enough, though a lil slow at times. Won't see ya there!
(2)
Amber B.

When we lived here, my husband and I would go to dinner here often. The ambiance is great, the food is wonderful and I really really loved the bloody marys. I think the only thing I ate that didn't have garlic in it was the choc. pudding for desert, and even then, I wasn't sure...... If you want a great date place (not for making out of course) the service is good, go early or call in, we always had a wait. Loved the group experience.
(5)
Cherylynn N.

Prepare to bathe, swim, and drown yourself in garlic! And, brace yourself for the aftermath of garlicky gas! DUTCH OVEN ANYONE??? Haa haa For years, I've wanted to eat at The Stinking Rose. However, rumors of it being just another "tourist trap" veered me away. My friends and I were preparing for the weekend with another Friday night at Bubble. We wanted to stay within the North Beach area so my friend had suggested "The Sticking Rose" b/c he has enjoyed it all the other times he had went. I can tell you at first I was wary, but seeing that I love to try new things, SR it was. I was easily able to make reservations 2 days prior for Friday night at 8:15 PM. When we arrived we were a bit late, however, we were seated promptly. FOOD: *Badgna Calda (Garlic cloves roasted in olive oil w/ hint of anchovy): MmMmMm...the garlic was super tender and melted in your mouth, The anchovy which you could NOT taste added a subtle saltiness. It was great on the rolls. But, I think the Badgna Calda would have been a better complement to sliced, toasted French or sourdough bread, so the garlic can get into all the nooks and crannies. *Sizzling Iron Skillet of Shrimp and Mussels: This was ok. The shrimp was a little small and since it was still in its shell the garlic flavor didn't really permeate into the shrimp. The mussels were also on the smaller size but was tender. *Garlic Roasted Prime Rib w/ Creamed Swiss Chard and Steamed Veggies: HOLY SMOKES!!! I'm a total meat whore and this was probably one of the best prime ribs I've ever had; far superior to House Of Prime Rib in my opinion. It was perfectly cooked (medium rare) and had great marbling throughout which made the meat tender and very flavorful. The roasted garlic wasn't overbearing and added just enough garlic flavor to it. I actually smeared the Badgna Calda on the prime rib to add more garlic flavor! YUM! The au jus and horseradish was also a great complement. The creamed swiss chard...OH MY....was DELISH! If all veggies can be eaten this way, then I would be eating A LOT more veggies. But of course, I would probably clog up my arteries in no time. Normally, swiss chard is bitter, but SR's had no hint of bitterness. It was tender and super creamy. FYI, the portion is MASSIVE. I ordered the regular cut (probably 14 oz), ate half, and could barely breathe afterwards. *Garlic Ice Cream: Although I was STUFFED, I just had to try the garlic ice cream. We told the waiter that I wanted to just "try" a bit and he was able to scrounge up a generous sample for all of us to share (although I'm the one that ate 95% of it). The garlic ice cream was topped with chocolate sauce. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Bu itself, the garlic ice cream tasted like vanilla ice cream with a savory garlic undertone to it. With the chocolate sauce, it made the ice cream nutty as opposed to garlicky. It was actually quite good! SERVICE: Surprisingly fast. Once we ordered the apps, we got it within 5 minutes. And, with the entrees within 15 minutes. Although we got our entrees fast, we never felt rushed by the wait staff. Our server was friendly and checked on us several times. Extra brownie points for the free sample of garlic ice cream! : P AMBIANCE/DECOR: When I walked in this place, it immediately reminded me of Bobo's and then I realized they were actually sister restaurants. SR has a very funky theatrical circus theme with red and gold tables and velvet curtains that line each booth. The mirror in each booth was a perfect touch, so you can take a gander at your make-up! Lol! Although I can see the restaurant getting very loud, the booth allowed for some privacy so you can carry on a conversation without distractions. CROWD: Tourists, older crowd in 40s-50s. Just a note, be prepared for the unsightly after effects. You will be reeking of garlic for days. I'm not talking about breathe though; unsightly....*FART*
(4)
Stacy M.

We went here yesterday and enjoyed ourselves. I had the 40 clove chicken and my husband had the baby back ribs. The ribs were especially good. We really liked the garlic mashed potatoes as well. The service was good and friendly too.
(4)
Rainbow B.

Hello people!!! This place is "THE STINKING ROSE" aka "GARLIC FOOD." I heart the 40 clove chicken. It's superb. And the bread with garlic... YUM. I love this spot. Ok ok, maybe I am giving them too much credit for the whopping two things I've tried here... but damn, that chicken is bomb. Service is decent. I think it was kind of crappy one time I went there on a really busy night for my sister's bday. But otherwise, I'm content with the galore of garlic. People SHOULD NOT be complaining that it's too garlicky. It helps to add a little salt to the garlic to really get the taste that everyone is used to (and is complaining that they didn't taste).
(4)
Max D.

I like garlic, didn't like any of the food I had here. (disclaimer: this review is of a visit about a year and a half ago)
(1)
Jocelyn L.

"Lame food. If you're gonna call yourself a garlic restaurant, USE more garlic. Way below mediocre. Tourist trap and bad bad food...yuck"
(1)
Joseph F.

I've heard people knock this place a lot, so I really thought I should share my 2 cents. I'll admit I haven't really shopped around the menu much, but what I did eat was amazing. But I digress... lets start back at the beginning. Random story, but I actually came here with my roomates GF and her parents... I knew her first, and her parents love me. Add it up, and free meal for Joe! woohooo. I live nearby, so I've walked by alot. Walking in was definately a new experience though. The unmistakeable smell of garlic RUSHED my nostrils the second I got in. As a middle eastern man, garlic is basically porn to me; I went from 6 to midnight if you know what I mean... A couple glasses of wine, and her parents ordered the Crab fiesta or whatever for 4. Long story short, this was a HUGE platter for 4 of Garlic smothered crab. Delicious, amazing, insane, and crap your pants good are all adjectives I'm quite comfortable using here. As I said earlier, I love garlic, and crab is right up there too. Put them together like that, and my roomate is lucky I didn't marry is GF right there. I took 1 star off because I saw the prices, and if I was paying I'd probably have taken 2 off. Pretty expensive for what it is, and come to think of it, that's probably why everyone knocks the place so much. All in all, good place to go; particularly if someoen else is paying. Also, one of the only places I've found that sells Daves insanity hot sauce. Try it out... but beware!
(4)
Chris M.

If you are a fan of garlic, pasta, and a moderately accurate depiction of Italian culture...this is your spot. Really good wine selection, prices can range from $20-$50 per bottle. Service is extremely warm and welcoming. The menu is great for all sorts of food enthusiasts, ranging from big pastas, well portioned salads, steaks, seafood, etc...all with the common theme of garlic. I've had there pesto pasta, sirloin steak, eggplant lasagna, and garlic covered babyback ribs. The inside is filled with classic pictures of Italy and San Francisco, great seating in the entire store. Will always have a place for this restaurant in my heart, fantastic job guys, keep up the good work.
(4)
Brittany L.

I should have known from the reviews that this place was pretty fucking tacky, not to mention outlandish prices for such mediocre food, terrible service, and even worse ambiance. That being said, I love garlic. The cheesy (?) biscuits were cold and chewy, but the potent pesto is delicious and counteracts the shitty bread. My gnocchi was lukewarm, but packed full of gorgonzola and duh, 30 cloves of garlic. My boyfriend's pasta dish, similar to mine in that it contained an overabundance of cheese, was less delectable. The ice cream had a nice flavor, but is it the garlic that changes the texture or were my scoops freezer burnt? P.S., our waiter was the biggest terd!
(2)
Aram H.

I got that appetizer that gives a ton of garlic with bread. I got sick from eating too much garlic (even though I only ate two pieces of bread). The food then came out and I think I got ravioli but I can't remember because it was totally not memorable. My ex-boyfriend used to be obsessed with the garlic ice cream. We would come into here only for dessert and they would get really annoyed that we would come just dessert. BTW, I hate the garlic ice cream and their tiramisu is nasty (how can an italian restaurant have nasty tiramisu?). I'd rather go to Stella's down the street.
(2)
Adrian H.

Just wanna add a one star review to get the place a lower rating....it's not even worth my time to write a review of this tourist trap, it's just awful!
(1)
L F.

The food came to the table luke warm ( and that may be an over estimate). We were a party of four, and only one persons food looked and felt like it had just been prepared in the kitchen only moments ago. the place wasn't even crowded because it was a couple hours from closing....However I haven't been back here since, but don't have immediate plans to try it again
(2)
Nancy Y.

If you love garlic... seriously, then you'll love the hot tub of garlic and the bread. Every place I go that serves bread, part of my rating is based upon whether the bread was good or not. So this place definitely earned 1 star for good and fresh bread, dipped or non-dipped. The clam soup appetizer impressed me actually because they tasted fresh and for a table of 5, everyone was able to enjoy a good amount. The 40-clove chicken was surprisingly tender and satisfying. I wouldn't normally select roasted chicken at an Italian restaurant simply because I feel it's boring compared to other dishes that require more skill to make, like flavorful pastas or seafood. But after tasting a piece of the chicken.. I definitely would recommend it as a selection. I, myself, had the spicy shrimp pasta. YUM YUM! The noodles were definitely handmade and the tomato, red-pepper sauce was awesome! I didn't like how there was so many onions in it though, but the blend of the sweet onion with the red pepper made a great combination. Although the place was cramped, you really can't complain because that's just how North Beach restaurants are! Staff was very friendly and they even pro-actively asked if we needed them to refrigerate the birthday cake. Nowadays, people don't bother extending an arm of kindness unless asked to do so. Thank you Stinking Rose staff member!
(4)
G P.

Been coming here a while with friends and family. Everyone has to eat garlic, and you have to love garlic. you cant wimp out and get something without or your friends and family breath will stab your nose with stink. Small place atleast because its jammed with tables and chairs. Not cool I guess if your comin in hot with ass power. Watch out for fanny... Ive had almost everything on there menu and have never been dissapointed. service is very consistent and prompt. If you can reserve a table in the back with your man or your lady in one of there private tent things. very romantic and probably one of the most romantic quiet dinners with my wife yet. Save room for tiramisu. you can share its pretty big. Love the roasted garlic and fresh bread, love the 40 clove chicken and potatoes, love the tortellini. If you sit by the window be ready for passers by to stare at your food and then the menu and then your food again.
(4)
og c.

just get the veggie lasagna and the Caesar, and don't get too crazy with the raw garlic on the table or you'll end up with halitosis or just some effed up breath. House red was really tasty, I didn't even look at what it was called but some good ish... I'll be back...
(4)
Stephanie C.

After living in the Bay area for six years and hearing so much about "The Stinking Rose", I was excited to finally have the opportunity to go. Unfortunately, all the buzz that I've heard and read about it is NOT all that it's cracked up to be. The name and the cozy, unique Venetian atmosphere in the part of the the restaurant I was in is really the most exciting thing about the whole experience, but the food had much to be desired. It wasn't bad food, as there were some tasty things i tried, but i did have to send my "Porterhouse Porkchop" back because it was dry, and didn't have much flavor. Once they re-did it for me, it was fine. The mashed potatoes are nothing to write home about either. Really, if you want to have a taste-tantalizing food experience that won't cost you and arm and a leg (it IS pricey....entrees START at $15, up to $50, and a modest meal will still cost about $30 per person w/ tax and tip) , Just go for the garlic-pesto spread and foccaia rolls (that's the FREE bread service they have), and get an appetizer that looks interesting. The "Bagno di Alio" roasted garlic appetizer for $5 is good but it's such an easy dish, that you can prepare that at home...it's just roasted garlic cloves in olive oil. Oh, there are some chili sauces with amusing labels in the lobby area to buy, but since there were no prices on them, I assume those were pricey too...oh, and there was one garlic spread they had for sale that I buy all the time in my local Safeway supermarket...I thought that was a little tacky. Overall i'm glad i tried it so i can check it off my list. I would go back for the atmosphere and an appetizer and the rolls and garlic spread, but wouldn't spend my money on a meal there again.
(2)
Ema H.

Complete tourist trap. Cold, uninteresting food. the best part was the bread and olive oil/garlic mix they bring out in the beginning. Go there for appitizers at most just for the experience, then head over to a real italian place in north beach.
(1)
Hieu D.

What a huge disappointment. I had big hopes for this place since my friend suggested I give it a try. "You just have to eat there" she said. Well I did andI was very disappointed by the food and the service that we received. And on top of that, it was expensive for what we got. Paid well over $60 for mediocre experience. It felt like a tourist trap and the staff just didn't want to deal with people that day. They don't have to worry because I won't be back.
(2)
Jim C.

Yes, this place is a big ol' gimmick. "Wouldn't it be clever if everything had garlic in it! Garlic-flavored penis-shaped lollipops FTW!!!" Whatever. After a day of reburning my sunburn, wearing myself out and watching my wife feel nasty in Chinatown, sitting down here for apps and San Pellegrino to meet our friends really hit the spot. The waiter was super-attentive and didn't forget about us in our isolated corner booth, but he didn't smother us either. Good show.
(3)
Jenny K.

I love when friends come in from out of town ... it gives me a good excuse to check out known tourist traps that I wouldn't ordinarily visit. One such place is The Stinking Rose. After nine years living in San Francisco, I finally took advantage of the chance to go there for lunch. I had low expectations, so I was neither disappointed by mediocrity nor surprised by excellence. I would compare it to dining at the Hard Rock Cafe ... you know you're not really going there for the food, you're just going there to say that you've been there at least once. There was a small container of minced garlic, chopped parsley and olive oil available at each table to spread on bread or add to the dishes once they arrive at the table. This was the only item that we ate that seemed to have garlic in it. Everything else (the filet mignon chili, potato onion soup and garlic-gorgonzola gnoccetti) seems to have modest amounts (if any) of garlic. We had ordered the dish with the garlic cloves cooked in garlic that was supposed to have been out appetizer, but it took forever to arrive (as did our pasta) and didn't arrive until after we had already finished our soups and devoured several pieces of bread each, so we sent it back, knowing we wouldn't eat it since we were already full. The food was fine, possibly good. It is just not a destination restaurant but for the kitschiness of the garlic theme, and even in that area it failed because the food didn't really taste garlicky (but for the parsley/garlic/olive oil mash). Go there once.
(2)
Hassan A.

Awesome place in the middle of North Beach. Ambiance is great...and the food is even better. First thing you should know about Stinking Rose is EVERYTHING on their menu has some garlic in it. If you're a garlic lover then this place is deffinately for you. Their pizza's are the best and so is their pastas. You can go wrong there. If you've never been to San Francisco and you like garlic you've gotta go. If you're a garlic lover living in the bay area this place is a MUST. Its the ideal place to go for dinner after spending the day at the garlic festival in Gillroy!
(4)
Jason P.

My experience here started off great and progressively went downhill from there. We started off with some nice vino and the bread came out. They have this jar full of garlic, basil and olive oil that is amazing with the bread, or by the spoonful. It is pretty much pesto without the pine nuts. We pretty much killed half of the jar. The garlic hummus was also very good and it had this sweet tomatoes in it as well. This is about when the good part of the evening stopped. I ordered this pasta dish that was pasta with a million types of tomatoes on it. Being the tomato lover that I am, I was pretty excited for this. It took forever for our food to come out. When it finally did, I almost wanted to send it back as someone forgot to add the taste. I ended up not even finishing and just eating the tomatoes, which also seemed to be overcooked to the point where they lost taste.
(3)
Grace K.

Is it a tourist trap? YES. Is there MUCH better Italian food to be consumed in the city? ABSOLUTELY. Is it an awful place for groups, dates, and/or good service? YUP. So what's with the 3 stars? Well... I still kind of dig it. Call me tacky. Call me someone whose lowbrow taste in Italian food is far worse than severe. Go ahead slap me on the butt with a stamp that says "Buca de Beppo or Bust." Frankly, I think everyone once in a while, we deserve to succumb to the draw of non-pretentious eateries just because they're kind of fun to go to. Don't take yourself so seriously and know for an hour what it feels like to be someone like Michael Scott and make an uncultured decision just for the hell of it. The inside is still really fun to sit in and you may still have a few extra bucks in your wallet and the experience of eating somewhere really smelly and extremely kitschy. And you can always pop into City Lights afterward to make up for how much of a sell-out you are.
(3)
Britney K.

I used to go to this place a lot as a kid and always loved it. The boyfriend and I recently paid a visit for dinner and it was just as great as I had remembered. We got the bagna calda, he had the ribs, I had the spicy prawn pasta, we shared a bowl of garlic ice cream. It was all great!
(4)
Quinn D.

Go to try the garlic icecream because you are curious...leave right after b/c this place is tacky and a tourist trap. I stated out-loud that the tirumasu was definitely not authentic.
(1)
richard c.

The food here is not such good quality here. Didnt feel like it was a nice night out at all. I went here when I first moved to the city because it looked like a fun place to eat. I think here is also another one in LA, so I've heard of it before. What I found is that it was a bit touristy, but not very good food.
(2)
Wen Z.

Not too sure what has happened here, but I remember loving it the first time I ate here. However, this past time I went I felt like I was a prop at a tourist market. Too bad!
(2)
Rachel S.

Gimicky. Too bad my fiance falls for this marketing crap everytime. I found the food bland and not what I would consider over the top garlicky. He ended up throwing away his lobster and the garlic ice cream was bleh. He loves the tshirt I ended up buying him. Too high priced for what you get.
(2)
Alice H.

Is it me, or did this place go downhill a bit? I came a few times when I first moved to the city. Loved the "we season our garlic with food" concept. But a month or so ago, I was in North Beach with a group of co-workers and we decided to stop in for lunch. The place was almost empty (weekday around 12:30PM) and it just didn't have the feel I remember. Maybe I got more sophisticated, but the garlic pan was a great as I remembered, it was the rest that felt oddly flavorless.
(3)
Astrid C.

Definitely for garlic lovers. Great food and service.
(4)
Merri L.

I realized that when I first came here in 2008, I wasn't impressed, but have come back at last two more times since, and forgot to revise my review. I think the first time i came, we chose bad things. don't get the meat. Instead, go there with your friends you might be talking to in the next day or two, so you all will have equally bad breath. Get the drunken garlic. It's so good...spread it all over their yummy bread... they also have another, spicier garlic spread that just comes on the table, it's green, that's yum on the bread too. You could easily fill up on garlic and bread here!! But save room... get the garlic potato soup. it has a yummy coating over it, and it's garlicky and potatoey and also filling. Realistically, you don't need to order an entree. The entree is the least important part of your garlicing. But if you do, which we do because it seems healthy to have a main dish, order something pasta. As i said before, don't order the meat/fish/poultry dishes. they're meh and not garlicky, especially after the garlicky delights you've just consumed. The pasta dishes are good, and you can taste the garlic in them. They're heavy and hard to finish after all that bread, but you can always get a doggie bag. I've liked the raviolis, I can't remember what other dishes we've ordered, as i haven't been in at least six months! The atmosphere is a bit touristy, but it's cool..lots of old celebs photos on the walls and such. I'll definitely be coming again at some point! Just don't go here before you have to look nice or talk to anyone, because your skin will be exuding garlic for days, and it's kinda unhealthy so you'll be pooching for a bit too lol.
(4)
caneisha h.

Yum SR never misses when I order the gnoccietti and asparagus with pine nuts. Simply delish thank you thank you and thank you.
(4)
Kristen B.

Ugh! I'm SUCH a FAN of the Stinking Rose in Hollywood, but this location just does not measure up. The crab was bland and difficult to eat, with no "zippers" to help open it. The pasta dishes were also blahhhhhh. They were almost totally tasteless, and they relied on the garlic to carry them along... which wasn't enough. The one redeeming part of the meal was the bagna calda, which was absolutely incredible. It's little mooshy cloves of garlic and anchovies (Don't freak out, it's just for seasoning. You don't see their scary little eyes.) that you spread on your bread. If you're going, you might want to stick with the bagna calda as an appetizer, and go get your main course elsewhere. The service was not so good, and the waitress was super awkward when I asked for more "caramel mole" for my ice cream. Like no one had ever asked for that before. Also, something to note: The chocolate sauce and caramel mole are the exact same thing. Luckily, it's very tasty. But don't ask for more of both because they won't know what to do. Another fun thing: They sell garlic condoms. Just in case you wanted sex to be weird.
(3)
Jessica C.

Super Yummy!!! You've gotta start off with "bagna calda" the garlic spread ...cloves cooked soo soft they spread like butter! Would recommend the shrimp & mussels and DEFINITELY the ribs...oooh soo yummy! Well, we sure did overdose on garlic while here but decided we'd still go out for drinks after... Decided to stop by Mojitos on Grant Street for a few mint mojitos (mango, peach, pomegranate) ...we let ourselves believe that all this mint couteracted the strong garlic lingering scent hahah!! Well worth it!
(4)
April D.

The food here is sooo good. The bread alone was yummy and even better with the green pesto parsley spread. I ordered a neon ravioli, which was really good. My friend ordered the zuppa di pesce which is a seafood bowl in a really good tomato sauce. Everything tasted wonderful. The sauces in both dishes were so good, that I would dip my bread and my yummy mashed potatoes in them. Our waiter was really nice too. He let us sample a couple of wines, and helped us figure out which bottle to choose. He was also very nice in making sure our glasses were filled. I will definitely be coming back here to stink up my breath.
(4)
Alex D.

Love this place! Very friendly atmosphere and fun little decors to look at. The menu looks amazing. The entrees we ended up getting were all very flavorful, and the serving size is big. Everything was yummy, down to the cheesy buns they brought out at the beginning. Lamb shank - I'm not a big lamb fan but I actually enjoyed this. The lamb shank was huge and tasty. It came with a side of mashed potatoes and spinach, which were absolutely delicious! Arugula pesto pasta - lots of flavor! BBQ chicken garlic pizza - huge pizza, definitely order to share. Very simple but great tasting.
(5)
Jeamine Y.

Garlic galore! Very tasty dishes, quick service...and needless to say garlic is in EVERYTHING (so you can't go wrong if you're a garlic fan). Caution, if you take leftovers home, which you will probably do since portions are very generous, be prepared to pop in some baking soda in the fridge at the same time--the smell the morning after is overpowering!
(4)
Jacob S.

The Stinking Rose was a great experience! I went with a party of three and we pigged out. The roasted garlic spread over the complimentary garlic rolls was simple and delicious-perhaps the best thing on their menu. The garlic fondue was also a top dish. For a main course, I recommend the garlic encrusted ribs. They were succulent and so tender that they were falling off the bone. As far as drinks go, the garlic martini was way too strong in terms of gin and the crushed garlic at the bottom had a relatively no impact on the flavor. The garlic wine on the other-hand was great! Not great from a wine connoisseur's POV because garlic overwhelmed any subtle flavors of the chardonnay wine itself. I highly recommend the decently priced Stinking Rose. Just brace yourself for garlic breathe over the few days following your and some possible indigestion.
(4)
Jenna K.

I think reading reviews ahead of time helps recalibrate expectations. This is especially needed at Stinking Rose. We were nervous, to say the least. My husband and I are...well, we are snobby foodies. Of the worst sort. And we were invited to the Stinking Rose by our snobby foodie friends. All four of us were not sure what we were in for when we were told, upon arriving at our reservation time, that we had to wait 15 minutes. They exaggerated... we were seated about 5 minutes later. The wine prices are amazing. Very reasonable. For instance they had Silver Oak for $65. The cheese fondue...heaven, if heaven is indeed a plate of melted cheese. My entree...well it left a lot to be desired. (Stinking Rose...carry some gf pasta!! We'll love you for it!!!) Just a roasted portabello on a bed of roasted veggies. Pedestrian really. The mashed potatoes...god I ate a lot of potatoes last night...they were divine. I actually hate garlic mashed potatoes. But not any more evidently. But really, I might not go back, but this would be a fun place to take out of towners. Don't expect gourmet. But really, people love Olive Garden...which is inexcusable. This is certainly no Olive Garden.
(5)
Joe R.

Love this place! When I have visitors in town, I always like to bring them here - the Garlic Restaurant! They even have garlic wine - I tried it once, couldn't finish my glass. My partner, on the other hand, loves it - he is a garlic freak, though. Overall its a little pricey, but its soooo good - the salmon is always grilled to perfection, the 40 clove chicken is great, the bread is great. Once I had a pasta dish I wasn't crazy about, I didn't realize there were olives in it, but I can't hold that against them - next time I'll order without, and they're very accommodating about special requests. The atmosphere is charming, it feels like an old Italian restaurant with all the photos of famous people on the wall and the wine corks everywhere, they use old wine bottles as candle holders. Sit in the front room, if you can, its much more romantic than the other rooms. Also, they are really efficient, the food always comes out very fast - they keep things moving! The service is hit or miss, they're always very nice, but sometimes seem a bit occupied. Do make a reservation, or else you'll probably have to wait for a table.
(5)
TRACY R.

Lunch here was a good experience. Very touristy restaurant with gimmicks hanging everywhere. And by gimmick, I mean garlic. Garlic everywhere. Combined and infused in everything. I had to try it out since two good friends recommended the place. We had a melted garlic cheese appetizer that was absolutely delicious. The BF and I were supposed to share it, but he was so caught up on his cell phone that I pretty much ate it by myself. And that's how the rest of the lunch went.... me eating... him on his cell phone. I couldn't complain bc this was a business trip and not really personal so I couldn't snatch his phone away and beat him with it for being such a rude date. Since he was sooo busy I ordered him the Rabbit and I had a Whole Medium Tureen of clams to myself :) The rabbit tasted surprisingly good. Almost like chicken but with an after taste. The clams were in some garlic soupy sauce that I ate with bread. Totally drool worthy. I'd love to come back and try more items. Hopefully next trip out here is less business, more "us" time.
(3)
Kofi K.

A pretty cool restaurant with a unique theme. My bartender, Liz, was pretty awesome. Very courteous and definitely took the time to make me feel welcome. +1 star for Liz alone. I had the garlic chili, but didn't have a great experience later in the night. It may have been from that or something else I ate, so I'll reserve a definitive comment until after my next visit.
(4)
Brett D.

Wanted to take our friend who is visiting from Texas out in North Beach. Decided to come here because we had heard of their garlic gimmick and have been wanting to try it. 2 stars because I enjoyed the Bagna Calda as recommended by the waiter though he seemed like he was in a hurry all the time and I felt rushed. 4.50 for a pint of Stella wasn't too bad. I tried the 40 clove chicken also recommended by the waiter. Chicken was cooked well (Not dry) but it wasn't very tasty. Entrees seemed overpriced. Overall I was very underwhelmed. For the price I was expecting something much more memorable. You better love garlic because the taste will linger for days and it will make you pay in the end -- all this garlic destroyed my digestive system.
(2)
Shannon D.

It's a pretty fast moving place, the service is okay if you catch the waitors on a good day or even depending on the location. It's VERY pricey, but its worth it if your on a date or something special like that? My visit to this place was in San Francisco, and it was amazingly good and even better that i didn't have to pay for my plate :] I got some sort of pasta, while the rest of my family got a lot of different dishes. Pretty much anything you order here will probably be very tastey, and hopefully i run into another Stinking Rose in the near future, i need some spice in my life again!
(4)
Jared L.

Though the place can give off an "Applebee's" style atmosphere because of the all wall art, I can assure you that both food and the service are spectacular. They offer OpenTable reservations, however anytime I've visited the reservation wasn't required (I still do it to avoid having to wait for a table). The Stinking Rose has a spectacular bowl of spaghetti and meatballs (not on the menu, just ask), the meatloaf is awesome and the roasted garlic in olive oil is a classic but the mediocre bread leaves a bit to be desired. Don't skip the garlic ice cream, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
(4)
Carol M.

I was brought here on a recent trip to San Francisco by my father who was working in the area at the time. The first thing I noticed about this place when I walked in was that it is much bigger than it looks on the outside. It is essentially 3 merged storefronts, separated into 5 smaller rooms. It's pretty easy to get lost on your way to and from the front door or the restrooms. The decor is somewhat eclectic. We were seated by a window in a room that was decorated by corks, wine bottles, and chains of garlic bulbs that hung from the ceiling. In contrast, there was a 70s-esque bead lamp hanging above our table. As one would expect from a restaurant named after a euphemism for garlic, there is quite a lot of the herb on the menu. We were given some bread and garlic pesto, and ordered the garlic hummus cocktail as an appetizer. The hummus was very delicious and the garlic was not overpowering, though the crostini that was served with it was a little too hard. The garlic pesto was very strong, so I did not have much of that. The Stinking Rose has a very nice wine list, which I would expect from a city that is situated so close to a major wine region, but they had many foreign wines to choose from in addition to the local selections. The entrees were good sized, and while most of them contained garlic, it wasn't that overwhelming in either of the ones we had (the 40-clove garlic chicken and the salmon with the lemon butter garlic caper sauce). All in all, it was a great experience. It is probably not someplace you would want to visit often, and definitely not as a first date, but it is worth a try due to the excellent food and good service.
(4)
Steve S.

I came here about a year ago for work as a group dinner. I had sort of heard of the place before, so I generally knew what I was in for. Our large group was seated in almost a tucked away booth, and we proceeded to order appetizers. The most famous one was the garlic spread and bread. Christ.... it was strong. I had some more appetizers that we ordered before getting my main course which was the eggplant lasagna. Meh, it was ok, but certainly not great or wholly memorable. However, the most memorable part of the dining experience was two things...... 1. Dear god. Holy baby Jesus in a manger. The next morning in the hotel room. I have never been so glad to wake up alone in my life. The TASTE of the garlic from the night before was SOOOOOOOO strong and just...... WOW. Then there was the smell. I could not describe the smell of the hotel room after that night. Imagine a person leaching garlic out of his pores for 8 hours straight. It was HORRIBLE yet oddly memorable enough for me to recommend going to this place at least ONCE. 2. The second memorable part was our group of 20 people had about 4 of them mysteriously get wickedly sick that night. They all ordered different things on the menu, but this was the only place that we all had a common meal from that day so something here seems to have played a role in that. Not sure what but they were pretty jacked up. Would I go back? Not after the smell that was coming out of me, but I am glad that I tried it.
(2)
Jeff K.

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. As we were being seated, our party was taken upstairs to a really inaccessible table. Right away, we were taken to a booth that was much quieter and the service was just awesome. Couldn't believe it: greatest random seating assignment ever. The service was great. Food was great, and yeah it stank. But what do you expect, it's a garlic restaurant.
(4)
Dave S.

Over the years, I think I've had everything on the menu, but what I love most about this place is the energy and the atmosphere. This area (right at the end of Grant Street and China Town) has a great buzz to it. What I enjoy most about The Stinking Rose is the chopped garlic and oil "stuff" sitting in the little pot at the table. Once my bread arrives, I'll clear off the entire pot. It has quite the kick but it's awesome. There Bagna Calda is also well done and presented well. Years ago they had a chilled bean appetizer, but it's no longer served. It was my favorite dish and I am sad it's gone. Some people aren't thrilled by the taste of garlic and this place is not for them. In my experience (I've gone there easily 100 times) the wait staff has always been attentive and energetic. I haven't had a bad experience in over 10 years and consider The Stinking Rose to be one of my standard stops when in in SF.
(5)
Jackie P.

I'm going to edit this review when I go back because I really feel like I didn't pick the right meal. I'm not willing to give up on getting the perfect garlic meal! It's a bit pricey, but even with being a little disappointed, I still thought that the pasta I got was really good, but not nearly as garlicky as I was expecting. We got a pizza, that was pretty good, too. They have this great selection of hot sauces by the entrance, and we took two of them home, one of them was from the Pain is Good Batch (something like that) and it is now one of my favorite hot sauces.
(3)
aaron n.

i ha vent been here in like 4 years but i suggested it to some family members who ha vent had it before. i was a little worried because looking up reviews it wasn't to good. anyways Ive learned quickly sometimes you can't go by what everyone says sometimes. we got seated upstairs. wtf when was there an upstairs haha it was a welcome surprise for us. like the rest of the place it is super cramp but a cool setting with interesting decor. when you come you have to order the bagna calda, first thing i ordered (2 orders actually) when we sat down. the bread took a little longer to show up, but it was soft and perfect for the dish. our waitress was really loud, i say cuz the area was loud, some others thought she was a being a pain. anyways i didn't mind as we ordered pretty quickly and were waiting eating our bagna calda. i always loved the water on the table but drinks were large in size, not typical for most restaurants these days. i got the short ribs but had a chance to try the prime rib, baby back ribs and chicken. all were good, the chicken could have had more garlic flavoring. my short rib was super tender though and easy to eat. the garlic added good flavor to the meal and the sides helped compliment the meal as well. i think we made some fans with the dinner though and some of the garlic fans were extremely happy. i wish we had room for some desert but no one could do it as doggy bags were taken home. service was iffy at times, but it was busy, loud and cramped so it may have just been the environment and not the server. we had a good time and enjoyed a good family dinner together and are still smelling our dinner today haha.
(4)
Jason M.

One star for ambiance, one star for garlic, zero stars for food. I am a big garlic fan, but have to admit that you can get better Italian food at any restaurant in North Beach much less any Italian chain restaurant. The garlic spread on the table is a garlic lovers dream, but the main courses were "tourist priced" and the food was blah at best. I had the lasagne which frankly I have had better tasting microwave dinner versions. The clams with linguine was too salty as well. I used to like coming here during college, but now I know that there are much better options just down the street.
(2)
Rommel N.

The food is pretty good. The prices aren't so good. Nuff said.
(3)
Kristen L.

I don't know why people hate this place so much...i think it might be a syndrome of localitist...locals hate places that are "toursit traps" even if they are genuinely good, or maybe i just had an unusually good experience. either way, I had a good time (born and raised in the peninsula), here's how it went: So it was Valentine's day and we had a reservation for 7:00, we were about 10 mins late so i was prepared to have to wait. When we gave them our name, they said it would me 30-40mins....that sucked. but to our surprise, before my bf was even done getting his beer at the bar, they had called our name. YAY! They seated us in "Garrlywood"(or so i've heard it called) which was perfect for v-day cuz its so secluded. The paintings on the wall were kinda, no, really lame but we both loved that we were almost by ourselves. we got the garlic thing to spread on bread and it was really yummy. the green garlic pesto-lookin stuff they leave on the table was really good with it too, SUPER garlicy, the garlicyest thing in the restaurant. For entrees I ordered the ribs and my bf ordered the rabbit. The ribs were cooked perfectly, they were falling off the bone which is a must. The bbq sauce was good too, garlicy but not overpowering. they serve mashed potatoes with it and they were good, left some skin in which is just how i like it so it worked for me. The rabbit was actually cooked pretty good also, the breast was a little dry but that's to be expected but the leg was great. The only thing they're lacking is presentation. The food is just kinda sitting on boring white plates but I'd rather have it be tasty and boring looking that beautiful and crappy so i won't complain too much, only a little. Service wasn't bad either, they weren't the nicest people I've met but they'll do. I think it's a cool place to go and even though a lot of people don't like it I think it's worth going to at least once to see if all the negativity is true. In my case it wasn't. So a good valentine's day prevailed, and then off to gelateria naia for desert! Yummmm...
(4)
Andrew M.

I remember ordering crab in here with my ex. We both had on giant crab bib's (provided) while cracking and munching away fiercely on the little critters. I recall it being fairly good and, of course, garlicky. My friends and their wives didn't enjoy the place very much and so based on that I'd say the food here isn't too exciting in general. Even if you really like garlic. The red and white checkerboard pattern (from the table cloths?) is still stuck in my mind.
(3)
Golnaz M.

I agree... Very touristy, and honestly, not that good. I had the crab with some kind of garlicky sauce, which was bland. My friends had tiny pasta dishes (w/out meat) that we super pricey for what they got. The best part was the garlic/olive oil stuff they put on your table to eat with bread...
(2)
Retired B.

Definitely a tourist spot. The roasted garlic spread stayed in my mouth for a good 2 days.
(2)
Selena P.

I love Roasted Garlic! I could eat it every day. The food here is okay, but I go just for the Roasted Garlic. Slow nutty goodness. Smear it on bread and I'm in heaven. Not sure why nobody will sit next to me at work the following day though.
(4)
amy n.

If you like garlic you'll like this place. I've only been here 1 time and I wanna go back ASAP. I had the crab which was reasonably priced. It came out and you got the whole crab all intact. besides all the guts and stuff. It was stuffed with 10 cloves of garlic. It was so dang good I got one to go for my hubby. our table also order a large clam soup and that was really good. I'm on a carb diet so i didn't eat the bread w/ their garlic dipping sauce but everyone at my table love it. Service was great.. waitess was polite and bubbly. Came back often to check on us. four stars cuz I've only been there once, but if it was as good next time as it was last time i gotta change my rating to five stars
(4)
Brian K.

5/5 because the Stinking Rose is fantastic at what it is supposed to be. Yelp reviewers can be so odd! They give a food truck 5/5 but roast a theme restaurant like 'Stinking Rose.' Yeah they have t-shirts when you walk in (like a toddler shirt 'little stinker), but the food, atmosphere, and service are all great. This is no Olive Garden! We drove all the way to Gilroy (30 min south of Man Jose... errr San Jose) for the Garlic Festival the day before. We had garlic ice cream, corn, stuffed mushrooms, french fries, and bread. All of these bow at the feet of Stinking Rose. The use of garlic is honestly - beautiful. Is Stinking Rose gourmet food? No Is Stinking Rose extremely well priced? Yes Price-to-quality people!!! I had the cheesy fondue (amazing) and pizza for roughly $20. Here are my tips: 1. Forget the expectations. Leave them at the door. This is not the most epic restaurant of all time. Walk in expecting a fun Italian joint. 2. Order unhealthy. They are not sophisticated, so go with the naughty stuff - it's well done. 3. Order a bottle of wine - their prices are fantastic. 4. Skip the gift shop :)
(5)
Loren H.

Went on a Saturday nite...and it was hoppin'. UCLA was in town to play Cal, so there were more tourists in town than usual...mainly hitting up the strip clubs across the way. Parking is a nightmare downtown, regardless of the work on the Chinatown/North Beach muni. I would Flywheel, Uber or Lyft it there...or take public trans. Reservations are a must year-round for this spot! Great decor and atmosphere....waiter and support staff were johnny-on-the-spot with everything. The table and chairs could be cleaner...a bit sticky. Food was great....garlic is awesome anyway. Sadly didnt make it to the dessert round yet again.
(4)
Patrick B.

a personal favorite. I've been going here for a long long time and have brought many people for their first taste of Stinking Rose and everyone has loved it. Bagna Calda is my favorite and yes its a side dish but its so good. The Lasagna is great as well as the 40 clove chicken. There gnocci also is really good. The only thing to beware of is that garlic will be coming out your pores for days after eating here.
(5)
samanta v.

God this place sucks. A long time ago - Like when I was in HS, and a boyfriend wanted to take me somewhere 'special' we came here once, and I thought it was pretty neat-O. man I didn't know anything. The dining companion wanted to come here, so we made the trek to SF for dinner. First of all - when a guy who is 6 foot 10 walks in, and you have a ton of open tables - don't try to shove him into the little circus train cabin slots in the back cause that is the area where the next waiter is supposed to get a table - juggle your tables. he's 6 foot 10 - he doesn't want to sit in something that he has to fold over to fit. Secondly - we get the whole garlic thing. Either a) make the food just solely of garlic - or b) give it some flavor, so there is something besides strange textures and garlic. Third - osso bucco, should never be slimy in texture. I won't be back - dining companion won't be back either - we can think of lots of better places to blow that kinda cash - with service and food that we like.
(1)
Rosalyn T.

this place is too overrated!! i remember when i went here with one of my friends and ordered the appetizer with the oil and all that, guess what we found... A maggot!!yes a maggot!! a cooked up maggot that was in our dipping sauce!!!so nasty!! and the worse thing about it was they made us pay for that piece of shizz..never will i go back..i know i should've just thrown it back at them!!
(1)
Angie J.

It's know for the Garlic, that's what they do. This was amazing, I went there with a group about a month ago and we had the gamut of garlic. We ordered the roasted garlic app, garlic steaks, garlic ice cream and the house garlic wine. I couldn't be happier. I wanted a meal that tasted amazing and was garlic filled and that is exactly what we got! Our waiter was completely on top of our table, we didn't have to wait for anything or ask for our water carafe to be refilled. My husband accidentally left his newly purchased comic books under his chair and by the time we realized it we were on our way to the airport to fly back to Seattle. I called the restaurant, they had located them and sent them to us immediately. I can't say enough good things about this place. The service, the food and the follow through was 100%. I will definitely be going back.
(5)
Sarah I.

WHOA, overwhelming garlic! Seriously, don't come here with a date, I repeat DO NOT COME HERE WITH A DATE! Or if you plan on hanging out with a member of the other sex within 24 hours. I came here with my mom so it worked out for us. the atmosphere is very odd...I've been to the one in beverly hills which has the little cabanas over all the tables, this stinking rose has a section of cabanas but was mostly an open table situation. there was a little too much light for my liking (especially after going to the other location) but the food speaks for itself. I ordered the 40 clove garlic chicken and my mom got the boneless short ribs...my chicken was ok...there was a little cream sauce dabbed on top but they went very sparse on it. i could have used more! the short ribs were to die for however! they we super tender and shredded at the slightest touch. the flavor was out of this world. the only drawbacks were that the service was super slow! Many times we looked over to see bussers standing around while our water cups were empty and uneccesary plates were on the table.We had to flag out server down for the bill, which he kind of slapped down on our table and walked away without saying anything. Sometimes its nice to have a server who isn't bothering you every second but its annoying to have one that never comes around. And the excuse that they were busy could not be made because when we sat down the host actually gave us our choice of tables so there were plenty available.
(3)
Mark G.

Okay, yes, I will admit that when I have guests in from out-of-town and they say they want to go to the Stinking Rose I get a little excited. I don't know why, I guess I just think the place is fun. The food? Well, you can't throw a rock in North Beach (or almost any area of the city) without hitting a restaurant that serves better Italian fare than the Stinking Rose does, but it's not bad. The prices? It's kinda expensive for what it is. The service? Actually, I've always had great service there, After reading some of the other reviews I guess I'm lucky. So dinner at the Stinking Rose and then drinks at Vesuvio!! I can't wait until more family comes out to visit us....
(3)
Dolores B.

Let me preface this with the fact I HATE GARLIC!, not so much the smell or the flavor, the fact that it hates me, it won't digest, it just stays forever, reminding me that I should not eat the stuff, not even lightly spinkled garlic bread...it totally kicks my ass!! Ok, so I try this little place upon the recomendation of the Embassy Suites staff. No Limo available, we take a cab, I'm trying to impress this guy I'm with, he's oblivious, doesn't like the hotel, doesn't like the taxi-yes the same guy I went to the Raiders game with...you get the idea. Surprize!, the food was excellent, mild, perfectly cooked, served quickly & non stop beverages...I'll totally be back, sans Raider fan.
(5)
Rachel L.

I'm surprised that there's so many negative reviews for this place. While I recognize that it draws in the tourists in droves, I still maintain that the food is good and that it's a fun place to eat...assuming you like garlic. I've never really tried anything beyond the pastas and the pizettes because honestly I don't want to pay that much money, but I think both of those are pretty solid. The atmosphere is also a lot of fun (with all of the garlic memorabilia hanging in each of the different themed rooms) and the wait staff has always been very pleasant. Edit 4/08: Sadly, I think I'm through with this place. It still isn't awful, but the last two times I went the food has been no better than average (and when you're surrounded by 50 other Italian restaurants in North Beach that's probably not going to cut it). Try it once for the fun atmosphere, but that should probably be about enough...
(3)
Stephanie A.

The first time I went there, I loved it. But I think I was drunk or really hungry. I love garlic, but the only thing that tasted like garlic was the garlic bath. The food I had was good, but there wasn't very much. For the price, I would have expected a little more. The service wasn't that great either. Basically it was really crowded and really hot, and they turned us out like we were at McDonald. This place is a Tourist Trap!!!
(1)
Paula K.

Went here on a recommendation while visiting San Francisco for the weekend. We were seated back in one of the little private dining 'caves' and it was so hot and muggy. The waiter was sweating so bad, it was really kind of gross! The food was not very good, I had gnocchi and it wasn't homemade, tasted like it was out of a box. I suggest passing by and choosing one of the other cute, quaint places in North Beach.
(2)
Kristina G.

I expected more from this place. I honestly cannot tell you what i had to eat. it was not that memorable for the price you pay. i agree that it is overrated. its worth one try to see for yourself. I probably wont ever come back here. the food isnt bad, just nothing special. or maybe i didnt order the right food...
(2)
Isabel T.

Try the pasta soooooo gooood! Great food we can't stop raving about it definitely going to be coming in next time we visit the main land
(5)
John E.

Service was great, overpriced food. Waiters and bus staff are excellent and attentive to your every need. The food though is overpriced for the small portions that are served. A great tourist spot, but as a local I doubt I will be back.
(3)
Desmond H.

This place is overrated, and shouldn't be featured on tv. -1 Star for the horrible hostesses at the front door. There were about 4 or 5 of them at the door. The restaurant was NOT even packed, and they failed to greet us accordingly. (We were the only party. Plus, another guy in the waiting area). We told them we made reservations, and they asked us to wait. So we waited... and waited... and stood there staring at them... and waited... until we had to go up to them ourselves after about 15 minutes and ask if our tables were ready. One of the girls had the nerve to say, "Oh, how many are in your party? Oh, we called you already, but no one was here." Well, HELLO!!! We're standing right in front of you. MAYBE if you guys paid attention and do what you're being paid to do, there wouldn't be a problem here. You see our party just standing here and you have the nerve to tell us we didn't hear you? Maybe we didn't... but at least have one of your 4-5 girls who are standing there doing nothing to come up and ask us what we needed. We were standing there waiting for nothing! After confronting them, they said our tables were ready so we followed one of the hostesses. -1 Star for seating us in a crammed room with no air circulation. We made reservations, come on! I swear there were better tables somewhere in that restaurant. Damn, get a air conditioner or something! -1 Star for the table being dirty. The table was not even ready for us to be seated! It was missing a chair and there were only 4 of us! So I had to wait for someone to get a chair, after being told by the unhelpful hostess that our table was already set for us. LIES! AND, we found two lovely glasses water left by the previous party. GROSS! After sitting down, we ordered our food and whatnot. -1 Star for slightly warm food. That's right, my food was practically cold if I didn't eat it within 5 minutes. I thought this place was featured on tv. What the hell! This place is horrible. Definitely not worth my buck. +1 Star for the super nice waitress. AND that's the only star this place deserves. She was attentive and our food was delivered in a timely manner. Food I ordered: The Garlic Roasted Prime Rib, Large Cut: (This was nearly cold when it came) Mussels and Shrimp: (This is alright. Nothing that made me go WOW or anything) I still can't believe they hire 4-5 hostesses at the front door. They don't even do anything.
(1)
LESLIE C.

If you like garlic and like to smell like garlic, this is the place for you! Awesome restaurant on a fun street in San Francisco! I have always heard about this place and wanted to try it so when I was in town for work a few weeks ago, I drove my rental car, all alone into the city, in the rain and ate here! It was delicious!! I was alone so I just sat at the bar. Ordered a good glass of Riesling and the appetizer that has the oils and garlic cloves and bread ( forgot the name ), then ordered a pizza. Everything I had was really, really good...I wish I could have gone again and tried one of the pasta dishes. It wasnt cheap...but it was alot LESS expensive that I thought it would be. The atmosphere and ambiance is nice, fun and pretty casual. Anytime I am in San Fran I will definitely be eating here!!
(4)
Matt G.

Tourist trap. They realize that they don't need to serve interesting food or offer good service if they don't expect their clientle to return. My three experiences have reflected that.
(1)
Carolyn D.

This place is not worth the wait, the money, or the stomach ache you will have after. It's pretty hard to mess up garlic, but this place manages to butcher it--- leaving a bitter mess on your plate. I ordered the steak and got a grizzly piece of meat with a small scoop of potatoes--what no veggies? The friends I was with had similar experiences with their dishes too. I used a $100 gift certificate that I won. Had I known the food was going to be so bad I probably would have thrown it away or given it to someone I didn't like.
(1)
Ally C.

Perhaps I am a vampire hence the frenzy that the garlic at Stinking Rose put me in or maybe the food at Stinking Rose just sucks. And I'm not really sure if the name Stinking Rose pertains to the everlasting stinking garlic breath after meal consumption or the embarrassing and inevitable stinking gaseous state it leaves one in, but whatever it may be, the Stinking Rose is just plain stinky-- literally, metaphorically, descriptively, whatever. Stinky. Now I heard a lot of people hype this restaurant up, but I never bothered taking any dates here since I heard how crazy this restaurant is with drenching their dishes with forty million garlic cloves. And believe me, I really did taste the wrath of garlic just the other night. I'm definitely reeking of garlic despite the two showers I've already taken and the three times I've brushed my teeth. My breath is definitely feeling like a raging dragon. So not attractive. But to get more into depth with the food. I had the silence of the lamb shank (an extra star just for having such a catchy name.) That shank was humongo! I could have sworn it was the shoulder blade of a baby dinosaur, but as specified by the menu, it was the shank of a lamb that swam around garlic cloves and garlic infused mashed potatoes. At first I adored my meal, but probably four bites into it, the garlic got a little too overpowering and somehow my meal went from tasty to super salty. It tasted as if I was just eating a soup of lamb and soy sauce and it didn't help that the wine pairing didn't really compliment the meal either. I should have just settled for the halibut or something less gamey, but either way, the garlic breath would have been inevitable so it's useless dwelling on what I should have ordered. To say the least I was disappointed. Not only did the food, service and candies that come with the bill stink... but I'm also still breathing, sweating and burping out this garlic stinkiness. Gross. At this rate, it looks like I'll be in quarantine for a week.
(2)
Shushannah A.

What a difference from my previous visits! I went there for an anniversary dinner a few months ago. When my boyfriend and I didn't order drinks the waiter wrote us off as a cheap date and pretty much ignored us the whole night while showering other tables with attention. FYI we like to drink water but were prepared to order lots of food with it being our anniversary and all. I ate only a portion of my chicken, wanting to save most of it for later. When my waiter asked if I was done and I said yes he gave me a dessert menu and whisked my almost totally intact chicken into the trash - my $20 chicken. I was upset and we left and I wrote a letter about the poor service and lack of take-home container and got a $50 voucher. We went back for Valentines day. I understand this is a busy day, but this was no excuse for such terrible food. And guess who our waiter was? Yep, the same one as I presented him with my voucher I got for complaining about him. AKWARD. Maybe that had something to do with it... The ravioli was SO underdone there's no way for it to be passed off as al dente. The pizza was soggy, and the sauces were not filled with the garlic flavor I love. The food and service are so bad that they have turned a once-loyal customer who recommended this place to all her friends to someone who will never step foot in the restaurant again.
(1)
Bebe E.

Meh. I've lived in the city over two years now and never has this place tantalized me. However my friend came back from school for the summer and demanded we go here. *cough* tourist *cough* I told him I'd never been here, parking in North Beach would be a beeyatch (which it was) and was he sure he didn't want chinese instead? Apparently not and we went. We were given a cute little table for two by the window. Fabulous. I had everyone walking in North Beach staring at me while eating my bread and pesto. How fun is that? Kinda nice they have the pitchers of water on your table so you can pour water whenever you feel like. And the bread and olive oil was delicious. Can't go too wrong with that. Or can you? (obviously) everything sounded incredibly garlicky. I'm a garlic fan, but not that night, and my friend insisted on taking me to the stinking rose. Just my luck. He ordered the ravioli something or other, and I had the spicy prawn fettucine. Surprisingly, it didn't take too long. Unfortunately he and I were completely surrounded by tourist families which included illbehaved small children that I wanted to smack upside the head. My spicy prawns were, in fact, spicy. The presentation was definitely lacking. A large red chili pepper had been deposited on the top of my pasta. It had been torn, and was not so attractive. However the spicyness of my dish was a bland spicy. It made me get that tickle in my throat and gulp down a few glasses of water, but it was not tasty. The shrimp was blah. And my pasta? Overcooked and sticking together. Ugh. Service sucked, the waiter didn't come by once except to drop off the check and ask if we wanted dessert. Garlic ice cream? really? gross Definitely NEVER going back. I'd go to fisherman's wharf before ever going to the tourist-attracting stinking rose ever again.
(2)
Alex k.

Well... it is a fun place for tourists and locals. I especially like the red canopy covered private booths that reminisce of the Barbary Coast era. However, much can be improved including service that is far from being attentive and food that can be a lot better prepared and really flavored creatively with garlic. instead of being bland. I think the Stinking Rose needs an overhaul if it plans to attract locals and not just tourists and curious suburbia's.
(2)
Jen Jen W.

This restaurant was located in the heart of the North Beach area. I went there twice with my family and the second time I didn't think it was that good. It was like any regular Italian restaurant and nothing too exciting. I guess for tourists it would be a fun place to go...
(3)
Swiyyah W.

Should be called the Dirty Rose. Could a sistah please get a clean glass?! The food didn't suck. It wasn't that great either. I was expecting the place to smell of garlic. It didn't. Very disappointing. I was also disappointed that there was no garlic bread. When I go Italian I expect garlic bread. It's wrong I know. It is not my fault though. Blame it on the Spaghetti Factory and other chain Italian restaurants. Oh and the waiter, a little short with me the whole night. He was probably mad cuz I asked for clean water glasses - ones that didn't have little chunks of old food stuck to them.
(2)
mae l.

I did my tourist visit like 5years ago, and my experience was ho-hum. Only thing I enjoyed back then, was the small jug of potent raw garlic relish which they had on the table, and the warm basket of bread that kept refilling. My forty-clove chicken and my friend's rabbit dish were dry, overcooked and just depressing.. Yet, 5years later, about a week ago, my parents were in town and I decided that they might enjoy the experience, so off we went. The raw garlic relish was as good as it had been, and the warm tender rolls kept coming too (I love it cos SF restaurants always serve cold, tough sourdough, and im not a fan unfortunately) We had the Sizzling Iron Skillet Roasted Combo with Mussels, Shrimp and Crab for our appetizer. For $40, it is a meal on its own. I highly recommend that you get this, and share it with someone (and not get anything else until you're done with it). The plate was huge. The seafood were really excellently cooked. It came with a garlic-butter dipping sauce, and another made with crab-roe, I believe. Oh yummy-yummy yummy... We also got the bagna calda that the server recommended and every table ordered. DON'T. It's great with any other meal elsewhere, but especially after that raw garlic relish, that wonderful subtle-ness of garlic roasted in oil is just, blah. For our main courses, we shared the seafood black linguine- Ok for a gimmick restaurant, nothing special compared to most Italian places; and also the tiger shrimp cooked in alio olio and asparagus- we added the extra shrimp option, but when it came, there were only 3 pieces. Again, it was good, not fantastic. At this point, my parents and I were stuffed to the brim. But my mom didn't wanna leave without trying the garlic ice-cream. So we got it. It is a huge portion. And surprisingly, not as gross as I'd had imagined. Just think of uber rich vanilla ice-cream with a lingering, very subtle, mild garlic flavor. It was actually quite good! Just try the sizzling skillet thing, you won't regret it. The rest of the menu, mmm.. i can't really say much about it.
(3)
MG H.

Ok, so I'm admitting I was attracted by the beautiful 'Stinking Rose' sign & warming decor. I love Italian food, but the menu didn't have much to offer- especially if you aren't a vegetarian. The complimentary garlic spread was powerful (I liked it). My lasanga wasn't anything much to write about- kinda bland. It was overpriced & I probably won't return.
(2)
Jennifer N.

I love garlic, so it's impossible for food to have too much garlic for me, but lots of garlic isn't enough to make a good recipe. So - there is more to The Stinking Rose than garlic. I had some of the best fish I've ever had there. It was fresh and perfectly cooked. I couldn't have asked for it any better. I also particularly loved the blueberry margarita. The only reason I'm not giving this restaurant 5 stars is the service. I do feel like the waiters are dismissive and rude, and it wasn't because the restaurant was busy because I went when it was fairly empty. The waiter actually came to us halfway through our meal and told us we were his last table and he wanted to go home, so the manager would take care of us. Then the manager was nowhere to be found. About 20 minutes later the waiter walked by again and waved at us. It was disappointing, especially because the menu is not cheap. However, I'd eat there again in a second.
(4)
Sid P.

It's a gimmick, but it's a good one - garlic in everything. Good food, but kind of touristy. Feels like a franchise chain (it has two locations, so it's kind of a chain, but not reeeeally). Service was alright. Server was v. friendly, but it took a while to get served. Ambiance was so-so. Lots of pictures of famous people on the walls - I'm hoping they were trying to be hilariously post-modern and suggest that No, Seriously, Elvis and the Pope and Marilyn Monroe ALL ATE HERE. AT THE SAME TIME. But probably not. The house special, a bunch of garlic cloves drowned in butter to be spread on bread, was pretty tasty, all things considered. I had the prime rib, which was decent, and my wife had some pasta dish or another, which wasn't bad. There is one severe downside to this experience - there is so much garlic and butter in everything they serve here that not only will you have garlic breath for the next day, you will have the most insanely disgusting garlic farts for at least two days. Tourists, plan your trip home accordingly. It would have been a three-star experience, but the pursuant ass-blasting takes it down a notch.
(2)
Albert H.

Recently my wife, niece, and I dined at The Stinking Rose. We chose The Stinking Rose because we're around the North Beach area and wanted Italian for dinner. At first I had some hesitation, thinking it's a typical establishment for tourists, my wife and I went online and saw their menu and decided to give it a try. We ordered Banga Calda with bread and Caesar salad as our appetizer, for my entre I ordered the roasted rabbit, my wife ordered a 2lb Dungeness crab, and my niece ordered salmon. Considering the waiter recommended the Banga Calda (garlic clove with olive oil and butter) being their specialty, we didn't think too much of it. In fact the table had cup of minced garlic, parsley, and olive oil, it tasted better than the Banga Calda. The Caesar salad was OK nothing special. My roasted rabbit was OK, pretty big portion but kinda dry. I didn't taste my niece's salmon but she enjoyed it. When the waiter brought the crab to our table, my first impression was good size crab, they didn't crack it, and where's the sauce. Luckily the crab tasted better than it look, lots of good flavor meat. The menu didn't indicate any side dish for the crab, however it came with a small dish of pepe pasta. We also shared a garlic ice cream for dessert, it was HUGE! Considering the quality of the food, price and service (mediocre service), I'm giving it 2 stars.
(2)
Stephen W.

Yes, touristy, whatever. We lived in the Bay Area and still loved every visit to The Stinking Rose. We love garlic. That's a requirement for anyone even thinking about this place. The roasted garlic and bread is done perfectly. I had a crab here once that was really delicious. Service can be slow. Also, you'll smell like garlic for a solid week after eating here. This can be problematic...
(5)
Stephanie L.

This is what I can remember about The Stinking Rose: My two best girlfriends were in town, and we decided to go out for a girl's night dinner and chose this restaurant. Magically, we found parking a few blocks away on a busy Saturday night. Once we got to the Stinking Rose, there was a very long line and a 2 hour wait. My friend flirted with the waiter, and pushed up her cleavage. 5 minutes later we were seated at a large table. It's hard to tell if the food is great, because it was infused with garlic. I mean, how do you know if you are eating fresh food if all you can taste is garlic? All the dishes kind of tasted the same-buttery garlic on something edible. I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for days no matter what I did. The service was hit or miss-nothing too special. Seriously though, I wouldn't eat here on a first date or any date for that matter. I wouldn't eat here if I was planning on working or talking to others for the next few days. Your food will stay with you for way longer than you would want it to.
(3)
Tiff L.

The Stinking Rose for me is very overrated. The first time I came here I don't remember what I got but I remember being very disappointed. I just came again with my boyfriend and his family and I got the Spicy Prawns. Their food is good but...it's not great and the portions are lacking in size.. And it's definitely not something I'd travel to North Beach and deal with all the parking problems, traffic, and crowded sidewalks for. Overrated and overpriced. But the food isn't terrible.
(3)
Shali N.

I have such a hard time deciding on whether or not I like this place. I mean, of course I do, I'm giving it four stars... but now that I am typing out this review -- I dunno! OK, here's the breakdown: - The Slab (Surf n' Turf) is FANTASTIC! I say they make the best prime rib and crab that you'll ever eat! So delicious, tasty, and very shareable. We ordered this to share between a party of 4. - That garlic bread thing they tell you to get is an appetizer of cooked garlic to spread on your bread. NOT garlic bread. You can live without it but it does make your bread taste a bit better if you love garlic as much as I do. - It's expensive to eat here! Whatevz... pretty normal for SF anyway. - The staff is OK. Not perfect. They are average... I don't like it when they don't think you deserve a table until your whole party gets there. I mean whats wrong with me taking up a table and ordering appetizers/drinks? - Overall -- a fun atmosphere and good food. I'd come back, for sure... I mean I like it, I think? The food certainly makes it worth it! Yummmmmm on wonderful bread and pesto. (Although bread and pesto from Pasta Pomodoro is fantastic as well).
(4)
Candice S.

Honestly, I expected more from this place. You expect to be wow'ed by a place that prides itself on being the stomping grounds for all things made with garlic. I didn't think it stood above any other average Italian restaurant. The portions were extremely small and didn't have that much flavor. Instead I left with "stinky" clothes and a still-empty stomach. As far as reviews go you could definitely say this place STINKS!
(1)
lazslo t.

Ya know being from SF i don't really eat here but it's in the same neighborhood where I work and I know some of the wait staff and they're all pretty good folks so the four stars are for them. Go in and take care of them. And before you complain about the service remember that this place mostly attracts foreign tourists who are often less than generous. You wouldn't work that hard without an incentive either.
(4)
Melissa H.

This a very late review, but I must share! My bf and I made a reservation for Valentines day for 9pm. We got there at 8pm to let them know we have arrived... they told us to get in line! What was the point of making reservations!!!! The guy we spoke to was very rude also! We understand that it's always a busy night on valentines, but they should be able to work around it and accomodate for all the customers. Whats the point of offering reservations but dont honor it! We asked a couple in line how long they have been there, they said they had a reservation at 7pm and they were 3rd in line! What is up with that! My bf and I said FORGET THAT, and went elsewhere.
(1)
Kristine B.

Horrible! I was so disappointed because I love garlic. I thought the concept was awesome. The service was the worst I ever had. Our server came to the table once, only said "what can I get you," put it in an electronic orderer, and we never saw him again. The water was on the table, the runner brought the food, and after we were through we waited half an hour before we asked a busboy for our check. The server didn't even bring it, he gave it to the busboy. And I am supposed to tip him for that?! BTW the place was slow so its not like he was slammed. As for the food it all tasted like I was biting into a garlic clove. It looked like hummus. It looked like mussels, it looked like bread! But no all of it tasted like a garlic clove. Then the smell lingered on everything til the next day, clothes, hair, hands. We were prepared for garlic breath but this was out of control. That car ride home was definitely and interesting one.
(1)
Frou Frou Fox I.

My friend and I ate here over the holiday season. It's now the end of May, so my memory is a bit spotty. The food was good, the service was good, the decor was attractive, was a conversation topic, but the garlic was not as overpowering as I expected either. The garlic bread was tasty. I ordered the Smoked Salmon-filled Ravioli, which was delicious. 'Twas a good experience. I recommend it, and am definitely going back. My friend had been to the one in LA, which I haven't been to (I'm an LA Yelper), and she prefers the SF one, so I'll probably only go to the SF one.
(4)
andrea n.

This restaurant really has no business being in NB/ Little Italy. The food is barely Italian and it's really not very good. The service is impersonal and slow. The restaurant is cute and would perhaps be a novel place to visit, but I don't recommend the food. We ordered two of the more popular items on the menu. The porterhouse pork chop and the chicken and asparagus. The chop was overcooked and the other was basicaly flavorless. The bill for this with tip was $70 and not worth a dime of it. Save your money or ask a local where to go.
(2)
Nick D.

Treated last night to dinner by friends and selected this fun restaurant. Our server was great - unfortunately did not catch his name, but he kinda had this Fonzie/punk look going on that our table quite liked. My partner called to see if we needed reservations and said that the message on the phone sounded like Dracula, which I got a kick out of. (And we were fine without a reservation - it was a Tuesday). I started with a glass of the house red, which was nothing to write home about. For the table we ordered the Saintsbury Pinot Noir, which was very tasty with the Lasagna I had. The rolls and tangy garlic, table accoutrement was good as well. The lasagna was very, very good and there was a garlic prawn skillet that we ordered with delicious seasoning. Not to miss in North Beach.
(3)
Christy G.

For a place whose slogan is "we season our garlic with food" what do you expect? Of course there is going to be a ridiculous amount of garlic in their food. They have one dish - a meat dish I believe - that has something like 40 cloves of garlic in it. Of course it's going to be garlicky! In any event, every time I go to San Francisco I make a stop at The Stinking Rose. I love North Beach, so the area is great - a short walk to the City Lights bookshop and Chinatown, amazing view of the Transamerica Building and in the middle of 'Little Italy.' The ambiance of the North Beach area is great and the decor inside the Stinking Rose follows suit. They have cute little roomed-off tables in mini-tents so if you wish to have a private dinner it's easy to do that here. On each table they offer honey and an EVOO/pesto/garlic dip for french bread. Boy there is so much garlic in that dipping concoction that it makes my tongue burn. But it's still good! One thing that's great is that they give you these jugs of water, so when you need a little bit of help flushing the garlic down, the water is there for you. I have been to this Stinking Rose maybe 5 or 6 times and I've ordered the same thing every time - the gnocchi with gorgonzola, asparagus and pine nuts. It's mmmm mmmm good. I haven't ventured to other areas of the menu yet, so this dish is an oldie but goody for me so I'm sticking with it! I haven't tried the garlic ice cream; that sounds sick. Plus, by the time you're done with dinner, you are soo garlicked out that you don't even want to see another clove of garlic. HINT: This place is NOT GOOD for first dates or even 2nd or 8th dates. If you want a little smoochy smoochy afterwards, it's a no-go after eating here. You'll be tasting garlic for a week; it just stays in your tongue. You'll be burping garlic too. TRUST ME ON THIS. The price is pretty moderate, and the waitstaff is okay. I can't recall the service ever being spectacular. I do love TSRs location - you can walk off your meal by taking a nice stroll in Chinatown. I definitely recommend TSR, but probably more for the experience of eating at a place that literally does season their garlic with food. Could I eat there once a week? No way. Once a month? Probably not. Once a year? For sure! And you should too...
(4)
Donna W.

The food here was simply amazing! The baby back ribs were so tender, the meat just fell off the bone-you could eat them with a fork! The lamb shank was huge (and appropriately so as the only male of our group ordered it), and the meat was also very tender (huge advantage to that-you could pull off the meat to eat from the bone, but the fat stayed connected, so less work to eat healthy). Smoked salmon ravioli was so tender and you could really taste the flavor of the salmon (which means they put in plenty of salmon inside the ravioli-some places skimp on such things). My friend's salmon was perfectly cooked and the accompanying cous cous was some of the best we'd ever tasted. We finished off the meal with garlic ice cream. It's vanilla with chocolate sauce and garlic somehow infused. Tastes just like regular vanilla ice cream, but then there's a garlic aftertaste in your mouth. As you progress, the garlic taste seems to get stronger. I'm not sure why folks knock it for lack of garlic. It was plenty garlicky for us. But we also indulged in garlic. We shared the garlic martini (which had an aftertaste of garlic, but it was one STRONG drink) and had bagna calda (garlic soaking in a "hot tub" of oil)for an appetizer. The food was great, I loved the cute little booths (they have red curtains pulled back that enclose the table and our waiter, Robert, was nice. The only bad thing was how disgustingly dirty our glasses were. We all had the same revolted reaction when we touched our water glasses that were sticky and had a greasy film accompanied by minute residue of caked on something or other. We asked for new glasses, and got ones that seemed a little cleaner on the inside at least. When half our table asked for new glasses again, no glasses came out. I should really dock two stars for this, but the food was so good and garlic is a natural antibiotic, so only one star off instead. Be aware that it gets crazy mad crowded. If you have a party of 4 or less, you can make reservations. If you have 5 or more, good luck. Also, try not to even bother parking in the area around meal times as there is no space. Either BART/bus in or plan on parking several, several blocks away.
(4)
Diana D.

Service sucked.....i swear he was on drugs or stoned from smoking too much garlic weed. We did get seated in 15 minutes on a busy sunday night which was pleasant. Garlic, oh my! I have never consumed so much garlic in my life than I did that night! I was a true garlic whore. Food was decent....the mussels were really good. The best thing was my company and the laughs. Atmosphere is cozy in the area with the booths (all the way to the far right when walking in the restaurant....its like a little hide out area). Would I return? Maybe....just maybe IF i felt like garlic whoring it up again.....most likely not.
(2)
Nathan C.

I love garlic, so my review is somewhat biased. The Stinking Rose is a garlic restaurant. Garlic beer. Garlic ice cream. Garlic garlic garlic. So read the rest of this review assuming that THERE IS GARLIC IN EVERYTHING so I don't have to keep typing garlic. Garlic. In fact, I think I'll type 'kittens' instead of garlic and see what happens. The food is generally good here -- consistently and adequately prepared. The classic starter here is the dish of roasted kittens, served with a basket of steaming rolls. I've had the kitten ribs, which are falling off the bone tender and completely infused with that kittenish flavor that I love so much. Don't be afraid to try the kitten ice cream -- the flavors work really well together... ...OK, now I'm getting grossed out. The decor is somewhat uneven -- the part of the restaurant that looks like a psychic's workshop is really nice and fun to sit in, but it's obvious they've had to cram in a lot of seats elsewhere due to the popularity of the place. All in all, if you're going to be in the area, and want to try something unique, head over. But make sure you like kittens... er, garlic, and are adequately prepared for the inevitable biological aftereffects.
(4)
Barn M.

The food at this place is great, although it's not what I really expected. There are certainly plenty of garlic dishes, but the taste of garlic isn't as potent as I'd expected.
(3)
claire s.

Where o where did my ribeye go? They deleted it off the menu! Even though they have broken my heart, I still love all the other items on the menu...right down to the garlic ice cream. But I have to say, once youre at the point for dessert, garlic ice cream might be overboard depending on how many pounds of garlic you consumed in your appetizer & entree. This is the place for garlic lovers!
(5)
sonam d.

Yeah...the smell really does stay with you and makes you stink the day after no matter how much you marinate yourself in great smelling lotions/perfumes/baths! But it was worth the experience!!! I was there with a wonderful person and it was a fun evening! The baby back ribs were so yummy! And the bread they served with the garlic was delicious as promised!!!! I was too full to try the garlic ice cream but I was very tempted and curious! Pain the butt to find parking but what a fun area to explore!
(3)
Jackie S.

The last time I had way too much garlic was at Pluto's eating the garlic fries. The raw garlic burned the roof of my mouth and I was in pain. I expected the same type of burning in my mouth at this restaurant. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. My family and I stopped by this restaurant since we all love garlic!! We sat in the top level of the restaurant where space was tight! Oh gosh, the tables were way too close together. Sitting upstairs is definitely not the place for claustrophobic people. We gobbled up the freshly baked rolls with the olive oil infused garlic sauce. Yum yum! The garlic sauce wasn't strong, but it was a good kick to the roll. We ordered the following dishes: 1) Zuppa di Pesce (small) This was the best dish of the night as it came with mussels, crab, shrimp, and calamari in a tomato sauce. The sauce was very flavorful, and I moped up all the sauce with the rolls. The seafood wasn't too bad, but it could have been fresher. 2) 40 clove garlic chicken with mashed potatoes I was expecting some strong garlic flavor, but was disappointed. The chicken was overcooked and the mashed potatoes were not warm. I didn't taste the garlic in the mashed potatoes. In addition, the 40 cloves of garlic were on the side of the dishes. I imagined the 40 cloves within the chicken piece. Oh well. 3) Arugula Pesto Pasta The pasta dish was very green with the arugula pasta and the pesto sauce. The dish wasn't that memorable to me. Service can be improved. Since this place is so crowded, our server didn't stop by our table often. The atmosphere is cute with the garlic drawings on the ceilings and walls. The food is average, but I would stick with the tureen dishes.
(3)
Mike B.

Consider me underwhelmed. I'm a HUGE fan of the bulb (garlic). I live for the stuff. So you can understand my excitement in going to a place that specializes in it. But it was incredibly disappointing. I had their "famous" prime rib and it was WAY overcooked and hardly seasoned at all. I had to dip it in the garlic butter sauce we got before the meal to add flavor...and juice. Maybe they had a bad night, but it just didn't do it for me. If I was with someone from out of town that HAD to go there, I'd give it another shot. But my first trip sucked.
(2)
Joon Y.

I love garlic...HOWEVER I've been here twice and if I do happen to go again...I just fill up on the free roasted garlic and bread. Don't come here if you are planning on going to a club or somewhere where it is warm after dinner. You will be sweating garlic juice for the rest of the week.
(2)
Darryl L.

I used to love The Stinking Rose. I love the decor. I love that at some windows, you could look out upon Columbus Ave and watching walk by and enjoy their night out. I love how they have these small boothes, where you can have pseudo-privacy. Most of all...I love the meat loaf and mashed potatoes. You noticed I said "USED TO" in my opening sentence. I'm out of love with The Stinking Rose" Last night I went there alone (because the wife is out of town) and had my usual meat loaf and mashed potatoes, Originally I was going to be seated at this small table against a mirror. I'm not a fat man, nor am I skinny, but I tell you I had a dickens of a time getting in the seat. I tried to move the table, but it wouldn't budge. I didn't want to call attention to myself,but I'm sure if anyone was watching me, I'm sure it produced a smile. After a finally got in, my waiter got to me, I was uncomfortable, so I asked him, if I could move. Instead of saying anything, he picked up my menu and put it on the table next to me. Ok..... Anyway...I knew what I wanted, but the guy took off. While waiting, the bread was brought to me. Usually I love their bread, In the past, i'd dipped into the garlic. This time the bread wasn't even hot, barely lukewarm. Not a good omen. Anyway....I got my meat loaf, and let me tell you it wasn't hot, I expect my meals, so hot, I'd see smoke. Instead it looked like, the meal was sitting under a heated lamp. I wasn't pleased, but I ate it anyway, For the price, you pay ($17.95), at least try to fool me into thinking that this was freshly made in the kitchen. What really caused me to give this bad review was the service. First of all,and I may be sensitive about this, but when you meet someone for the first time, don't refer to them as "buddy" It's "sir". Show me a little respect. Also I think once I got my food, I never saw my waiter again for at least 20 minutes. No.."Would you like some more wine?" "How's the meal?" "Is there anything else I can get for you..?" Nothing. The only thing that kept this review from being a one-star review was the meat loaf. Very tender and I like bhow the carrots on top are soft. The final straw was after I had ordered some tiramisu (sic) to go, I get back to my room, I found I had no condiments. No spoon or fork. I guess it's my bad for not checking before leaving the restaurant. But I took for granted, that anytime someone orders something to go, there would be at least a spoon. I wound up eating my mea,l using my index finger as a scoop. Sticky...and it wasn't great. Look owners of "Stinking Rose", we are in recession. There is plenty of competition along Columbus Ave I can take my money to. I love the meat loaf,but ground meat with tomato sauce can be found at Boston Market. At least the service would be better, So..until further notice.."Stinking Rose" we are through. I think my wife will be happy about that. She always the food was so-so.
(2)
Beccie F.

GARLIC, dude. and a LOT of it. just bring me some bread and let me obliterate the container of garlic topping set on the table. i'm good. if you like garlic, just check it out. i enjoy copious amounts of it, so this place did me right. garlic ice cream is on the dessert menu -- not so curious to try that out, though.
(5)
Monet N.

This place is cute and definately for garlic lovers. We got seated quick just cause we called in before we headed towards there. They sat us upstairs which was quite cold and it was unpleasant until I forgot about it. Our waitress was pretty much yelling at us even though it was loud it was still unecessary. She still was pretty loud even when we were the last group up there to leave. The food was ok it wasn't like anything to be wowed about although everyone at the table seemed to enjoy it . But honestly I think the hype about it being so garlicky manifests you into thinking the food was actually good. I mean the food wasn't horrible but I don't really see the appeal besides them throwing in some garlic here and there. I'm no garlic hater but I ain't a lover either. This is one of those places where you can say you've been to and not actually go back again because I know I won't be back. Oh yeah they don't give you mints either at the end thats boo boo at least give garlic mints or something.
(3)
Beth K.

I woke up the next morning tasting the meal from the night before. That's getting what you paid for. Take gum, or run to the candy shop across the street and pick your poison. Their definition of fondue was a bit different then mine, but regardless, it was tasty. Garlic was coming out my ears... which is why I came. Shrimp was amazing, and with the garlic bread, a small was more than enough. I couldn't help eating my companions gnocchi, and think next time I might order my own. Have to thoroughly get the garlic out of my system before I get back. No making out after this dinner, so go with friends.
(4)
Rise G.

It was a Tuesday, I didn't feel like cooking and I wanted pasta...so I decided to check this place out. Garlic, garlic, garlic - I will agree with everyone else on that one. My husband and I were still belching garlic on Wednesday afternoon; I am sure it was seeping out of our skin and we probably didn't smell too good to others. Anyway I ordered the garlic appetizer, the house red wine, and the pesto fettucine. The appetizer was good as was the pasta. The wine was however very bland. I wouldn't recommend it...there wasn't really too much of a favor there. They do serve decent portions, so you definitely will not leave hungry. The service was not too good; we had to wait almost 15 minutes to order and then I had to get up to ask for bread (the appetizer had been delivered and then the guy took off). I doubt we will eat here again but at least now I can say I know the place and I have eaten there.
(2)
Michael M.

The internals of The Stinking Rose are an interesting maze. The large rooms to the left and right are tightly packed, while rooms further up the stairs contain some very nice dining areas with far more space and atmosphere. It also has small draped booths as an alternative to the cramped entrance tables. The table bread is paired with a sharp garlic herb spread that provides a nice contrast to the creamy, mild and well priced bagna calda ( roasted garlic in oil). Any other appetizers seem unnecessary, as the food arrived quickly. Prompt bread refills and a full water pitcher are also credits to the wait staff. Of the main courses, the seafood is the clear winner. While the prime rib turf was passable, the large and competently cooked tiger prawn surf was the highlight. Out of the six plates on the table, the medium shrimp skillet with two dozen nicely seared shrimp stole the show with size,value and flavor. The tureen of clams on an adjacent table looked like a dish to definitely remember for next time. The garlic ice cream was mild and slightly redundant after a meal so caked in cloves. Tiramisu proved the better,garlic free,desert to close with. The tiny fruit candies provided with the check were a nice alternative to the usual striped mints. Gather some garlic loving, seafood eating friends, find a parking place and give The Stinking Rose a try.
(4)
Christine V.

I'm sad that this place does not have exceptional reviews. Maybe its because I dont live in San Fran, but I absolutely loved this place. Dont come here if you dont love garlic! Every dish is made with garlic. The only thing that kind of sucked was our food came before our drinks! They were FAST in making the food, pretty impressive, considering we went on a Saturday night and that place was PACKED. Also a bit too close for comfort. I could probably smell the breath of the person at the table next to me, that's how crammed we were. I really loved the food. The mozzarella appetizer with the toasted bread was the best thing ever. I also had a caesar salad and the garlic alfredo rainbow ravioli YUM! My boyfriend had the ribs, excellent. Crispy and tender. The waitress was really super nice and I really had a nice time. I wish I could pick the restaurant up and move it to Redwood city.
(5)
Big Appetite K.

This place isn't short of reviews, but what the hell... This is probably one of the more popular places in SF for dining enthusiasts. However, I have to be honest... I don't think I was quite as impressed as I was assuming I would be... First of all, finding parking in this area is more rare than a 49ers' victory, and the long wait before being seated didn't catch my good side either. But, after the long parking battle and waiting... we finally got to the food! The food... well, I tried their Gnocci, which is one of my favorite Italian dishes... and, I do have to admit... it wasn't bad. Their were some strong garlic flavor to it, but I don't know if it was the right amount. The whole place kinda smelled of garlic, so it was hard to tell if it was my dish, or just the whole place in general. Some of the other pasta dishes (which I tried, from my friend's plates) were also decent, but lacked a strong flavor. Most Italian dishes have good flavor, but for some reason, I left here thinking that it should have tasted better than it did. It's been a while since I've been back, but it wasn't horrible... So, if someone suggests it, or a friend makes reservations here for a b-day or something... I'll likely return. But, on my own? I'm not sure... that maybe a while...
(3)
cara r.

Garlic is one of my favorite foods, yet I left the Stinking Rose pretty underwhelmed. The bagna calda (roasted garlic in olive oil to spread on bread) was amazingly delicious. Rich and garlicky and creamy and YUM! But that was where the yumminess abruptly ended for me. I got the gnochetti - small gnocchi with gorgonzola and pine nuts. Sounded amazing. But it didn't taste like anything! I mean, gorgonzola is a strong flavor, but I couldn't taste it at all - didn't taste garlic, or cheese, or pine nuts, or anything but mushiness. So the next time I visit San Francisco, you can bet I won't be returning to the Stinking Rose - unless I get a craving for bagna calda before eating dinner elsewhere...
(3)
Trina A.

My boyfriend and I ate here yesterday with my cousin and her boyfriend. The atmosphere is nice and the aroma of garlic all around was yummy! We sat upstairs and there is a mural that goes all around the room of garlic and san francisco. It was very cramped up there though. The tables are too close together. The food...was a bit disappointing. We started off with drinks. The blueberry margarita is so-so. The Bagna Calda for the bread is delicious! The food arrived very fast, but our server could have been nicer. I ordered the lasagna. It was good, except there was way too much swiss chard in there. I also ordered a side of garlic mashed potatoes. They were a bit bland, I would have liked to taste a more garlicky kick. My cousin ordered the salmon ravioli and it was horrible! The pasta was not cooked enough and there was like no salmon in there. not good. My boyfriend seemed to enjoy his meat loaf, and my cousins boyfriend had the short ribs. He really like those and maybe if I ate meat I would have tried it. We finished with the Gilroy famous garlic ice cream. It was interesting...it kind of tastes like vanilla, with a kick in the back of your mouth. Overall, the service could have been better, and the dishes are a bit pricey. And make sure to bring some mints cuz my breath was kickin all night!
(3)
Jenz y.

trivia: did you know bloc party ate here? they did! garlic's the superstar, but i'm not a huge fan, unfortunately. my dad really wanted to eat here and it happened to also be my birthday, so i sucked it up and dined in. the pastas aren't bad at all, i just can't find anything super special that stands out food-wise. the celestial room with the swanky drapes over each booth adds some cool to the atmosphere, but i would argue that there are better places in north beach to eat at.
(3)
Mel P.

My friend and I came here the other night. It was our first time there...we were curious because we knew this place to be the "garlic place." I love garlic and as you enter the restaurant you can smell its wonderful aroma. It wasn't overpowering but yummy delicious. We sat at our table and in the back there are tables that give you more privacy. It was pretty cool. Our food came at a speedy matter which was good but the service could have been a little bit better. By the end of the night, we smelled like garlic...if you don't like that garlic taste in your mouth then this may not be the place for you...bring gum.
(3)
Laura W.

Garlic, garlic everywhere! This restaurant sounded like my dream come true... and although it's true that everything is made with roasted garlic, I wasn't overwhelmed. In fact, the dishes tasted very mild to me. The place is decorated with strings of garlic bulbs and you get roasted cloves with nearly anything you order. It's a bit touristy, for sure. Every table gets bread, but order the bagna calda to spread on it if you want to start out the right way with an all garlic experience. Then I had the chicken which actually didn't taste garlicky to me (maybe because my tastebuds had already adapted, kind of like the Borg). I am not complaining though - that was some of the most tender chicken I've ever eaten. They even have garlic ice cream (which I politely passed.) The food was delicious, but slightly pricier than it needs to be. It's worth it, just not more than once in awhile.
(4)
Becky F.

This place came "highly" recommended to us when we were visiting SF over new years. However, it really deserves the 3 starts most people give it. While the appetizer of garlic in a vat of oil is AMAZING, the other dishes we ordered paled in comparison. We ordered their house salad, meh, and their vegetable lasagna and pesto ravioli in a cream sauce. The food came out quick and hot, but we felt quite rushed. One could tell they were just trying to get you fed and out the door as quick as possible. I would agree with a prior reviewer who said that the servers really could care less if we were there or not. The only saving grace for this place is its decor, quite cute side rooms that have a romantic vibe were very lovely. Bottom line, the place is alright, I would probably recommend skipping out on this one and going for a more authentic Italian meal at one of the cute family owned restaurants in the area. ---Oh, also, the garlic really messes with the romantic vibe of a date night, so if you plan on being around the person your dinning with, skip the wads of garlic ;)
(3)
Cristopher B.

I guess the tagline for this place is "We season our garlic with food." I guess that is pretty accurate. It seems like kind of a novelty - a garlicky, expensive novelty. Nothing on the menu is particularly cheap, but not really noteworthy either, aside from its well-advertised dosing with garlic. I ordered the prime rib, and it was pretty good as far as prime rib goes, but it didn't really stand out as the best or the worst I'd ever had. Their chief appetizer, garlic soaked and sauteed in olive oil in butter, wasn't bad, but perhaps undercooked when we got it. The garlic just wasn't spreading like it probably should have. At least the service was good, but we were the only people in the place, so I suppose it'd be pretty ridiculous if it wasn't. The garlic thing here really isn't just a schtick - they throw garlic at everything, and then they add some more. It's great for garlic lovers, bad for vampires. Give it a whirl if you're curious, but I can't see myself as a regular.
(3)
Kandi J.

Went here on a weeknight kind of nervous thinking about all the garlic! Looking at the menu there are many options to order from which is great if you don't want to spend too much money. We started off with riesling wine and the waiter (who was awesome) brought us some bread. The bread was yum but cold:( There was a garlic with oil paste for the bread which tasted great Water was already on the table with glasses set aside. Glasses we not so clean so no water for me thanks. We started with the MUSSELS & SHRIMP skillet which was to die for. we ordered this because table next to us had ordered it. It was delicious. We got the medium size which was $19 We were already starting to get full so we decided to share an entree. We decided to share the Crab with Prime Rib. The rib was really good. cooked great. Crab was awesome also. This was $44 and portion was Hugh. (So glad we decide to order just that because we still had some left to go) For desert we got the the tiramasu which was nothing special.We weren't brave enough to try the garlic ice cream. This was $8 Overall we loved it. Place wasn't too crowded. Food was awesome. My only dislikes were the not so clean glasses for water, the bread was cold and desert was blah.
(4)
Natalie T.

This restaurant is a garlic lovers dream, and I now dream of garlic ice cream....
(5)
Douglas C.

Overview: Pros: Big portions and reasonable prices given the area. Cons: Sloppily prepared, filthy decor, transients sitting in the waiting area I am a garlic lover, but what this restaurant does to garlic should be considered a crime. My wife and I ate lunch here on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. I had heard about the kitschy decor, but I was surprised at how filthy everything was. Do they know how to dust? Food arrived promptly after we ordered and everyone around us seemed to be enjoying their food. I happen to think that you can never have too much garlic and if you roast it just right it really brings out the flavor. I am NOT a fan of garlic for garlics sake. I ordered the prime rib and it was covered in barely cooked cloves of garlic. Gross. My wife had a pasta dish that was swimming in sauce with barely any noodles or meat. Not terrible, but certainly better to be found.
(2)
John T.

My night out with Sin (yes, that is actually his name) - Episode III I had a rough weekend. I was rejected by women on three separate occasions, my football team lost, I lost in both of my fantasy football leagues, plus I found out I needed to get a new roommate, it kept getting worse and worse. I wanted to just lie in bed and feel sorry for myself. It was bad. Then I got a call from my buddy Sin (yes, that is actually his name). He wanted to have dinner and a few drinks in North Beach...at the Stinking Rose of all places. My first reaction was, oh hell no. Isn't that the chain restaurant where they cook everything in garlic? Come on man, you gotta be more creative than that! Boy, was I wrong. The food was delicious, the owner comped us an amazing mussels & shrimp entree, the bartender was SUPER HOT and flirty. Unlike Stella, who had to sleep with a younger man to get her "groove" back, I just required a hot bartender and garlic infused vodka martini. Thank goodness for Sin, the guy AND the verb. 5 stars.
(5)
Katie W.

I'm surprised this place got such low reviews. I guess I'm one of the few lucky ones to get a good experience from here. My bf and I had reservations for 7pm. After 2hrs in traffic from San Jose, I was already in a bad mood. We made it there in-time for our reservations and were seated right away. Service wasn't bad. Waiter was friendly but didn't have much opinion about the food... just nodded along and kept saying, "if you like." Our food surprisingly came out within 10mins! I expected slow service since the place was quite busy (and yes, with tourists everywhere). I agree with the others on their space, its pretty cramped in there. I sat in a small area with 3 other tables. I felt sorry for the 2 big guys next to us sharing a 3'x4' table. With everything already on the table, a huge candle holder, salt/pepper, a basket of bread, and a huge pitcher of water (so we can pour it ourselves?!) there wasn't anymore room. I had to give most of those items to the waiter to put elsewhere. Their Bagna Calda (garlic roasted in olive oil, butter, and anchovy) was delicious; spreads like butter. Their Dungeness Crab was a huge disappointment. The waiter mentioned the owner had a crab restaurant off the pier so their crabs were bomb - wrong. The crab tasted like its been boiling in the same garlic sauce all day. HOWEVER - Their Garlic Roasted Prime Rib was absolutely delicious! Tender, juicy, and infused with a fresh garlic taste! One of the best pieces of prime rib I've ever had. Didn't want to spend $9 on garlic ice-cream so we went for their Tiramisu. Also delicious! Overall, I'd comeback for the prime rib and maybe the lamb (looked quite good at the table next to us).
(4)
Tammy C.

I have been to this restaurant (both SF and Beverly Hills locations) a few times with friends from out of town. I always love and specify to be seated in the Chianti Room, which has more character than the big, open, bright lighted dining area. It creates a cozy environment when you are with a small group of friends, or on a date. The most recent time I have been there we had the signature Bagna Calda appetizer, and I also had the lamb shank. It was quite a lot of food and the food was pretty good. I must admit that the garlicky smell really came out every pore of my skin for the whole evening...
(4)
Christine L.

What can i say? My step-mom's Italian and I love garlic! Pure genius to make a restaurant based on the beloved root. Everything there tastes amazing. The garlic fondue as a starter is really yummy. And they have this 40 cloves of garlic stuffed chicken which is just....there are really no words. Its just that good. And now I can say I have tried garlic ice cream! Yummy!!
(4)
Aaron Z.

If you like garlic then come here. It's a little bit of a tourist trap, but the food is good and the ambiance is fun. Check if out if you have the time.
(3)
Jennifer O.

I got soooo sick the last time I went her oh i dont know 8 years ago! THis may be a good restaraunt for some but I believe there are far more tastey places to eat at within minutes of this joint. Franchinos or Capp's corner to name 2. too busy too stinky and very generic italian. NO THANKS
(1)
Derek R.

Man, if I read one more fuckin' review that rips something in this city for being a tourist trap...oy vey. I like garlic. I like restaurants. Hey, guess what? I like this garlicky restaurant. Is it touristy? I suppose so. But then again, so is just about everything in this city, unless it's so dominated by self-righteous, provincial, cooler-than-thou SF'ers that only self-righteous, provincial, cooler-than-thou SF'ers want to be there. OK, I'll admit it. I'm self-righteous. I can be provincial. Not sure about cooler-than-thou. But never all three at the same time. Whatever is whatever, though: I'll never be so self-righteous, provincial, and cool that I'm gonna judge something because it has a high tourist quotient. The only time that should apply is at airports.
(4)
Will C.

Enviroment: This place has a very nice evironment surrounded by the nightlife of san francisco, on one of the most active street in san francisco. People there are friendly and the customers there all seem to be having a blast. The table next to us was loud and laughing and was having a hell of a time. One of the ladies in that table laughed so hard at something that she fell off her chair which then made us laugh. Yeah it was mean to laugh but heck, if i fell off my chair laughing i would laugh at myself too. Right when you walk in you are treated to their collection of hot sauce and bbq sauce. They have funny labels on their hot sauces. A few of my favorite names was 'bone sucking sauce', 'ass reaper' and few others. Food: I ordered the meatloaf and boy it was good, one of the best meatloafs i've had for a long long time. It reminds me of the time when i was just a child, eating lunch in daycare. We would have these meatloafs that the school kitchen would make and it was absolutely delicious. My friend ordered the rabbit, which i thought was pretty mean because it was Easter and i kept teasing her about eating the Easter Rabbit. Well her Rabbit was not that good, it was actually not good at all. The Rabbit was dry and hardly have any meat on them to begin with. But the worst part was it had no taste whatsoever, it was like eating dry cardboard......that was left out in the sun to dry some more. But that was probably the Easter Rabbits way of getting revenge. Overall this place has the feel of a great saturday night around san francisco, and especially if you see drunken ladies fall out of their chairs laughing. But make sure it's okay to laugh at them first before laughing with them or you can get in trouble.
(4)
Henry L.

This is one of my absolute favorite restaurants since I first discovered it ... um... 95? I know it's been around lots longer, but that's my first memory of it. Anyway, if you like garlic, this is THE place to go! And by "like" I mean "obsessed." By "obsessed" I mean that you want garlic to pour through your veins. My two favorite dishes are not entrees (tho that's not to say that they aren't good). One is the Bagna Calda (sp?) which is the bread dish with garlic that's been bathing in olive oil. The other dish is the garlic ice cream. MMM! Don't think that'll make a good flavor? Think again. This is something very unique and actually quite delicious. It's a little like vanilla ice cream with a kicker. WARNING: Do not come here without your roommates. You WILL sweat garlic for at least a few days. I think I got kicked out of a dorm room one time because I still smelled of garlic ... 2 days later.
(4)
Carmen H.

I'd been to this place a hundred years ago...okay, I exaggerate...but it had been about 25 years since I entered its doorway. My friends and I had been to a show at the Plush Room and were ravenous. After a ride around the city in search of a late night eatery, this is where we ended up - and on Halloween, no less. When a parking spot appeared before us, we pounced. Fighting our way through the ghosts and goblins and scantily attired denizens of the streets ( don't they get cold??? ), we arrived at this place which reeked of garlic and still let us in though it was closing time. The best thing we ate, in my opinion, was the bagna calda, warm garlic cloves, oven roasted in olive oil, with a touch of anchovy - which we immediately piled on bread and gobbled down. Of course, the fabulous Stag's Leap merlot was a nice addition. My garlic encrusted baby back ribs were not the best I've ever had - I preferred my friend's 40 clove roast garlic chicken which was far superior, in my opinion - though some of the other menu choices looked pretty tasty. I had wanted prime rib which was long gone by the time we got there. I was the only one who actually liked the garlic ice cream - don't know why I ordered that....must have been the high alcohol intake of the evening....cocktails at the Plush Room performance, then that great merlot. I think, however, tiramisu might have been better...and not with garlic added. The decor was fun....we strolled about looking at all the interesting tables, each unique, neat lamps, very old San Francisco. Service was excellent.
(3)
Dustin H.

Cute themed place. I went here on a date with some guy. Inside was pretty barren, but then again, it was like only 4 or 5-ish. The food itself came in pretty good quantities. The hummus with baguette was kind of a weird combo as the baguette was too hard. The bread was good though. Finally got our meals and my date ordered some chicken shit and I got some black pasta something-or-other. The guy asked if I wanted cheese and I said yes. So he keeps grating in and I eventually had this little mountain. Now, I didnt know I was supposed to say something, I just thought he was going to use his amazing powers of perception and realize maybe this customer doesnt want a fuck load of Parmesan. But he didnt. And my thing ended up tasting a little odd. Got the garlic Ice-cream b/c that's the token thing you "have to get" there. It just tasted like a creamier vanilla with a hint of garlic. Overall an over-priced mediocre place. And the waiters are intimidating. They kind of just stood in the back watching us eat. Awkward.
(3)
Erin D.

all i can add to these reviews are a few thoughts... 1. do not order the ribs. at least when i had them they were extremely dry and not really that tasty. it was almost like eating garlic carnitas. not satisfying at all. 2. the potato soup was great... but it tasted almost like campbells cream of potato (which i happen to love)... so does that really say much? 3. if they seat you in the back room when they walk you through the main restaurant, through the back bar and through the other walkways where only bussers are supposed to use... say no immediately. we were seated there at the table for two on the side and the curtains kept hitting my head and the constant hustle and bustle of bussers was not very fun. also, whenever i walked in and out of the room (to go to the bathroom, to leave), i ran into a busser with his hands full of dirty dishes. not so cool. just say no, people. trust me. other than that, service was fine. lots of garlic. mediocre food.
(2)
Nicole S.

I am partially embarrassed to be writing this review, but I actually had quite a delicious meal here. I was completely skeptical when my boyfriend's dad (in town from LA) declared that his so called "foodie" friend picked out the Stnking Rose, a "real authentic Italian restaurant" (yes, his words). We started out with the "garlic bread" appetizer (bread chunks which one dips into a vat of oil and garlic) which was, again, surprisingly addictive. I got the ciopinno, also v. good. Good fish, sauce, etc. (And my Euro dad makes it every Christmas, so I have a pretty good idea of what = good ciopinno) Plus, the waiter was awesome. What a hoot---this older Italian guy who was such a character, and he gave me props for knowing what pastina is. In conclusion, don't know if I'd go back (just with all of the other food options in this city), but certainly a pleasant dining experience.
(3)
Jenny K.

The Stinking Rose should be called the Stinking Tourist Trap. The food is completely mediocre yet ridiculously over-priced. Yes a lot of garlic is used. Yet somehow the food is bland. The food is also too rich and heavy. The gnocchi, for example, was like eating little lumps of chewy dough slathered in artery-clogging cheesy cream sauce that just sits in your stomach afterwards. The service blows to boot. I do like the garlic spread for the bread but that's about it. There is nothing remarkable about this place except that out-of-towners and tourists have been fooled into believing this joint has the best Italian food in San Francisco.
(1)
Jennifer L.

this place was cool for a one time experience!! came here the morning after nye (even the waiter questioned our decision). i have no real complaints about the food they served there. it was all very delicious because our friends had all sort of shared what we had ordered. the only thing is that i wish there was more variety. there IS a such thing as too much garlic, even though i love it. pretty sure my body hated me. the garlic pesto spread + bread they give you before you even order pretty much fills you up, so be careful!! none of us could even come close to finishing our meals by the time they came.
(3)
Pedro F.

My wife and I came to eat here on the day that I proposed and let's just we loved it. If you love garlic (boy you better), then come here. The Bagna Calda is a great way to start because the garlic literally melts in your mouth. and also try the garlic ice cream. I don't remember my meal, maybe because that day I was still on cloud nine.
(5)
Ashley H.

Great place if you love garlic. We started by eating the amazing garlic pesto on the table. It is addictive and will numb your taste buds. When my meal (the gnocchi) came to the table it didn't taste like garlic, so I ended up adding some of the pesto to my dish. All in all, everyone loved their meal.
(4)
Brent M.

I'm not sure if the place was Garlic or Italianate Walking into The Stinking Rose gave me a home-style feeling with the hostess seating my party and I very quickly. As i was being seated, i noticed that the table was too small for me, and Irma pretty muscular guy, and the walkway between me and other guests was too small. The waiters at Stinking Rose were very slow at bringing my party and I bread and drinks, which would make anyone one very angry after being seated 15 minutes ago!!!!!... However, the crowd in Stinking Rose was friendly (i actually had a nosey woman give me a pen and pa so i could pre-write my Yelp review lol) upon writing my yelp review, the water served was lukewarm and never served with ice which i thought was very irritating (the water could have been contaminated).. My meal was Roasted Rabbit served with olives and mash potatoes mixed with garlic. The Rabbit was charred and dry but had a little taste to it, I would not order this meal again, it was a waste of a tax payers hardworking money!. one pf the guests accompanying me had Bass with cous cous (if that's spelled right) however, his Bass was filled with bones which was kind of weird when i thought there were suppose to be any bones. The meal was discarded and the chef was told about it, we didn't have to pay for his meal. nice!.... But, if you are an individual who has no choice of taste and doesn't know what they want to eat, I suggest you go here and sit all the way in the front to get a better look at the place your paying for. Sooooooo...... yeah.. not a good place to eat.. and if you are trying to get rid of a bad date....take this review in consideration... Thank you....
(2)
K W.

Playing tourist in your own city can be a rewarding experience, and it was when my boyfriend took me to the Stinking Rose last night for dinner. I've been wanting to try this place for years and I'm so glad that we went! Despite the mixed reviews, our experience was great. This probably had to do with going for an early dinner (6:15 p.m. Friday - no reservation) but here's the goods: - promptly seated at one of the cute tented booths - friendly and efficient wait staff - food was hot, flavorful and delicious (Gnocchetti, prime rib, bagna calda, house wine, and garlic ice cream were all perfect)
(5)
Douglas R.

Touristy. Fantastic seafood cioppino. Everything is full of garlic. Decent prices for SF.
(3)
Brian A.

Garlic, garlic, and more garlic. If there ever was a place to get your garlic fix, The Stinking Rose is it. Whew, we stunk and felt garlicy all afternoon after stopping here. We got here early and had our choice of seats. They first tried to slam the bunch of us into this really small space, but upon insisting that it was too small we were able to get another table in back. The ambiance is eclectic (or eccentric?) garlic Italian. The walls are splattered with all kinds of things to look at and read. We started off with the roasted garlic in olive oil with bread. It was winnahs and reminded me of when we used to roast garlic on our camping trips. For my main dish, I got the tomato garlic angel hair pasta. It was good, not great, but it filled me up. I wish they had placed more kalamata olives in the mix, that would have elevated it to great stats. Some of the other dishes looked good, but I think I was in garlic overload by the time I felt like trying some of the other dishes. We all really smelled like garlic for the rest of the day. I'd go back again for a visit. Make sure to bring those breath mints next time too. I do have one question though. Why is this categorized under "Beauty & Cosmetics"?! Strange.
(4)
justin t.

nice ambiance. snag a booth if you can. this is a cute touristy place that isnt too much of a tourist trap. yes, the prices are relatively high for what it is, but the experience is what you pay for. oh, and also the bread with the garlic pesto...amazing. when i used to live in italy, i literally ate this much garlic every meal, so im accustomed...some other people are not! so steer clear if you are against my aglio! the pastas were not too great...the chicken asparagus is the one i would recommend if you HAD to choose a pasta. i feel that the entrees are better. especially the sea bass. i came for lunch and had to get bitched by friends the whole afternoon on how bad my breath stunk.
(3)
Whitney k.

i loved this place when i went there and wish that we had one here. I had the 40 clove chicken and it was amazing!!! Cant stop thinking about it. Hope to come back sometimes soon and get to eat at this place again!
(5)
Matt M.

Terrible service. Tourist prices. Don't buy the hype. Best thing on menu is the garlic app, and that's it.
(1)
Alice M.

"All eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a cirrcuusss." Oy, the circus theme of this place got Britney stuck in our head for pretty much the rest of the meal. The theme itself was cute, but the rest of the experience was not. Firstly, it was freezing in there! Don't they have heat?! Was it just our "tent"? Not sure. Service was really slow too (even though I know they were busy). Secondly, food was mediocre at best. The garlic starter (bagna calda or whatnot) was not that great -- not incredibly warm with the small fire lit under it and was just really oily and garlicky. My friends got pastas that tasted pretty bland (minus the garlic I guess), but I got the braised short rib. It was way too salty and I've had better versions of this done elsewhere. This place was mainly just overpriced for what it was and not too good. And as much as I love garlic, we were all over-garlicked and underwhelmed by the time we left (and no, we didn't try the garlic ice cream, but mainly cause everything else wasn't that good and again, we had had enough of garlic by then). Won't be back and will be cautioning against people trying this place.
(2)
Michelle A.

So Christmas Day and my family was scattered this year - some here some there and no grocery store was open. So off to the Stinking Rose we went on Christmas day. We got a reservation easily for 7:30pm but we were late 1/2 hour. There were a ton of people and they still sat us - as late as we were and outside of the couple in the next booth sucking face all night - we had CRAB Feast for 2 which fed 3 and boy was that outstanding......We had garlic on our breath for days and it was worth the drive. Even my 14 year old LOVED IT!!!!
(4)
Lindsey B.

We went here with some friends. After eating the dinner and having wine, we went back to the hotel, and within the hour, I was hugging the toliet. Not pleased at all. The food came out wayyyyy too fast. I swear the minute the waitress took our order and walked away, another person was at our table with-in minutes with our appetizer & wine. When food is that fast, it makes me wonder "how long has it been sitting there, waiting for someone to order this" and its obviously not "made to order" food. Starter: Bagna Calda I had the 40-clove chicken. Tasted good going "down" but definitely not "coming up". We all ordered something different and none of us were feeling good. Never again will I go there. blech.
(1)
farangis f.

We ordered short ribs and baby back ribs and both were pretty good. Staff was friendly and service was quick. Ambiance is quirky and cozy and good for tourists. Reasonably priced and a good choice if you are a garlic lover. Their gremolata spread at the table was fantastic. I hadn't been there in over a decade and was pleasantly surprised to have good food in a tourist-oriented restaurant in the North Beach on a Sunday afternoon.
(4)
Jessica M.

It has a novelty vibe, of course! It's all garlic. Not sure why people are surprised by that. I went for Christmas dinner (something a little diff) and it was fine. It wasn't my first choice for Christmas, nor is it for anything else. I was a little wary, so I chose my meals based on other Yelpers' suggestions. I went with the chicken and asparagus in linguini. The chicken was so overcooked and dry that it seemed like chicken jerky! I only ate 1/3 of the dish. The rest of the food was, again, fine. Drank beer, had the garlic spread and fondue. They were very good and since we were with great company, I was enjoying myself. The food is just average, to be quite honest and our server was checked out on the whole thing. I say that you should go up the street to one of the more authentic Italian places and order extra garlic in your entree.
(3)
meL Z.

Their food is pretty good I went here a few times and the experience was good. My favorite was the ravioli with salmon but I think they took it off the menu so minus a star. Though the food is good it IS a bit over rated.
(3)
John S.

Wow, some of you guys are harsh! The Stinking Rose is a fun, kinda tacky, garlicky, fun restaurant. Did I mention that it's fun and not a 5 star dining experience? Some have mentioned that it's a tourist trap. What exactly makes it a tourist trap? The food is pretty good. The atmosphere lends itself to a good time, if you're open to it. The prices are pretty typical for the area. I don't get it. Sure, it's also a good place to take tourists... but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I went with a group of colleagues, tourists in fact, for dinner last week and everyone had a good time and a good meal. Out of 17 people, only 3 or 4 of us are locals and everyone else was visiting from out of the area. They ALL enjoyed the evening. Actually, us locals were even commenting on how we should come here more often. Okay, we did stink the next day, but hey... it's a garlic restaurant!
(4)
Kai Z.

Love their garlic in hot tub with bread, yumm! And believe it or not, I think they have better prime rib than the most of the fancy steak house places, it's thick, juicy, tender and salty, the perfect way prime rib should be prepared! The only missing star is their drink selection, they can probably offer a better wine list. Regardless, I'll definitely go back!
(4)
Shadi N.

TOURIST TRAP TOURIST TRAP TOURIST TRAPPPPPPPPPPPP. You dont go to a restaurant in Disneyland and expect to eat amazing food. thats exactly what this restaurant is like. I LOVE gralic, i love smelling garlic, eating garlic, i love it when my hands smell like garlic after i cook with it, so i thought this place would be my heaven. Its a good idea, cute decor... and maybe if i had someone visiting from europe who had not taste for class and ate anything in front of them, id send them there for a fun experience... but the whole meal was rushed, it was over crowded, and the resto smelled bad.... (not like garlic mind you) like dirty reused oil. They had some kind of garlic dipping sauce which was the only thing i actually enjoyed and can remember from the experience. i wouldn't go back.
(1)
D. S.

FOOD: HORRIBLE!!! I ordered halibut with orzo. The halibut was so hard that I couldn't cut it! There are definitely other places in North Beach that are more authentic in Italian cuisine. This is more of a tourist attraction more than anything else. BEWARE of the garlic substance on the table for your bread. When my husband and I got home we immediately began to burp and fart garlic all night. We were so sick and felt horrible. It was bad. We went to bed clutching bottles of Tums! Guarantee that you will leave here sick.
(1)
Chadwick C.

The service was fast, probably because they wanted to get our asses out of there so they could seat more people and the food was good, but nothing exceptional. Honestly I've had better Italian food, but it was pretty good. I probably would have given this place a higher score had the food been a tad cheaper. I had the Lasagna and it was good but the cheese on top of it was a bit hard making it difficult to cut into. All in all the stinking rose is worth trying once but don't expect to be blown away by the food.
(2)
John G.

I can only give 0 stars if the food is just inedible right? Wait I can't give 0 stars. No but that is the only review this place deserves. So I had really been anticipating my visit to the Stinking Rose, and though some fellow yelpers weren't too impressed I decided to make my own choice. Worst Idea EVER... Do you know what its like to go to a convention with food poisoning. I do, after my meal last night at around 2 am I began giving the toilet back everything that I had gotten at the Stinking Rose, only this time it didn't taste nearly as good. I had the Bagna Calda and some bread which was fine, but my main dish was the main problem. I decided to have the Spicy Shrimp, yup shrimp. In a coastal city I thought I was ok, the guy that got caught up in my "water-vomit cross-fire" today would beg to differ. I havfe been sick since lat night at 2 and now am finally able to hold down water and Roll Golds, yup pretzels. Food Poisoning SUCKS and I will never go back to the Stinking Rose, oh an the kicker everywhere I looked today there was gourmet food and free alcohol but I got to stick to water, or vomit. I still think this is a 0 star offense but yelp wont let me.
(1)
Monica O.

Om Em Gee, I was a lucky lady to have came here. Lite crowd for a Sunday night, and was seated promptly by the window. Loved the soup. There Zuppa di Pesce was mouth watering delicious!
(5)
colin l.

In ten years I've *never* had a problem here. Never felt rushed - even when it's busy the service is fast, but *not* rushed. Also never had a complaint about the food. The entrees are interesting, different from what you see in other places, and *good*. I've never had a meal here (and I've had lots) that didn't leave me feeling perfectly happy. Born and raised in the area, I love coming here, and I love taking folks here when they're in town.
(4)
Frances P.

We gave this place three tries. The first time was good, but it's been sub par ever since. My guess is that it is a tourist joint that enjoyed its 15 minutes on the food network. Restaurants that cater to tourists aren't banking on return business, just a marketable angle. The garlic ice cream is fantastic, though, I have to admit. My husband hates it, but I loved it. The only good thing I have had here is the prime rib. The crab sucks, the chicken sucks...you can't even taste garlic in most of the entrees--and it's a GARLIC RESTAURANT. The best part of your meal is the roasted garlic app..
(2)
Roni R.

So I plan a going away party of 12 at this joint b/c I'm departing to the continent of Africa the very next morning ... I made reservations, called ahead of time to confirm and it was a Weds. night, so no big deal, right? Wrong. Me: Hi, my name is Roni and I have a reservation for 12 at 7 pm. SR: Sorry, we don't show anything here under your name for a reservation. . Me: Okay ... can we get a table for 12? SR: Sure, we have room. Me: Okay, great ... let's go ... SR: No, your entire party needs to get here to be seated. You can wait at the bar if you like. Me: So, how can I make sure you'll have the table for 12 available when everyone arrives? SR: We can't ... Me: (Visibly annoyed) ... Excuse me? I called and made a reservation and spoke to "X" and got a confirmation, I called today to reconfirm and it was. Now I get here, talk to you, you tell me I have no reservation but you have tables -- but won't seat us until everyone is here -- but won't hold the table for us? SR: Yes, unfortunately. But you can wait at the bar and have some drinks if you'd like. Me: Listen, I'm leaving to Africa tomorrow and this is the restaurant I chose to have my last meal at w/my friends... so make it happen, okay? SR: (fake smile) We'll try our best. For now, please wait at the bar and have some drinks. Errrrrrrrrrrrr. Seriously? Just freakin' be honest about your policy on reservations! We did finally get seated over an hour later ... and the food was not exceptional but it wasn't horrible. Still ... insanely ... insanely annoyed that they break out "policy" crap on seating once we get there.
(2)
M W.

I came here a few years ago and was disappointed when I ordered my garlic prime rib. It was my first time and I had imagined it to be smothered with garlic but instead it just came with the meat and 2 garlic cloves on top of it =(
(2)
Paweena P.

This place is definitely and overhyped tourist trap sort of place. Garlic is supposed to bring flavor to foods, yet somehow everything that I ate here lacked flavor. I tried this place two times, and that's enough for me.
(2)
tobey t.

I think this is the best Italian restaurant that i've ever tried. We tried the seafood black linguine, lasgna (which is so different from the normal one that you can taste in other Italian restaurants). We like these two dishes so much. We could taste the garlic and cheese mix so well but without the greasy or heavy feeling at all. By the way, the tiramisu there was so delicious too. It was served in a big cocktail glass, everything is great there!!
(5)
Saul S.

If you're looking to be served by beatnick~hipster~wannabes while w-a-i-t-i-n-g (spaces between letters indicate increments of twenty minutes) for your food, eat here. - Signed, smug, self-entitled tourist with garlic breath
(2)
Virginia G.

i love garlic, but there is a limit... i had the shrimp alfredo when i went there. wasn't too impressed. not much flavor except garlic. milk, shrimp, pasta, and garlic. the "garlic soaking in a hot tub" appetizer was pretty cool, it's a tub of garlic, butter and olive oil all heated up that they serve with bread. the atmosphere is really neat. tables are too close for comfort, but the decor is cool. i got a lot of really neat pictures when i went. i can't remember how long we waited, but i was so hungry by the time we sat down. didn't help that we had walked about 5 miles around san francisco finding cool places to eventually in the last mile "oh yeah, lets find this place." this is a have-to-try-at-least-once kind of place if you like garlic. just for the gimmick. i think we were too full to try the garlic ice cream...
(3)
Ron L.

Went here with my son and wife, based on it's reputation and location. And the prices they charge for mediocre food are based on the aforementioned. My wife ordered the half rack of ribs. They must think half rack means half flavor, cuz that's all it had. Oh yeah...they threw in some roasted garlic on top of the ribs to qualify it as a "garlic" dish. My son's rabbit came out dry, but it was quite flavorful. I had to dress up my pizza margherita with the pesto sauce that is used on our bread just to bring out some of the flavor. Service was terrible. I had to repeatedly ask for our check, and came close to walking out after the third try. It's like college...professor doesn't show up in 15 minutes, then you're entitled to leave. I may take out of towners here just for the experience, but I'm sure there are better places out there.
(2)
Paul Q.

Man fuck this place son. The food here is amateur at best and i probably wouldve enjoyed it more if the damn waiter would slow down on tryin to hit on my lady, know what im sayin sayin? 2 stars for garlic oil sauce thing, and thats it!
(2)
Mark B.

Even though I had a great time here the last time I came, I still remain underwhelmed. Whenever I think of the stinking rose, a fancy place with a nice atmosphere and an attentive wait staff. But whenever I get there, I always feel, well, unimpressed. The food is good most of the time, it's just really expensive for the quality. The atmosphere is always a little louder than i expect and the bulbous lady painted on the wall stares at me when I eat my dinner and creeps me out a bit. I dunno, I'm not adverse to coming back here (especially when one of my friends gives up garlic for lent and it's time to binge) but I don't think it would be on my top places to eat- especially in San Francisco.
(3)
Ali W.

Wait, why is The Stinking Rose listed under the Cosmetic & Beauty Supply category in Yelp? Did I miss something? Are they making garlic perfume now or something?!?! The Stinking Rose used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but my recent visit totally stunk (is that a word?). Oh and I'm not just talking about the garlic. Our entire dinner felt super-rushed, as if they were trying to turn over tables as fast as they can. When we arrived for our reservation, we were quickly greeted and hurried to our table. We ordered quickly, and got our food quickly, which is usually not a bad thing, but both our waitress and the busboy kept pacing back and forth by our table every 5 minutes checking to see if we had cleared our plates. In that environment, we were under a lot of pressure to eat quickly. The food is not as flavorful as it used to be. We started with the Bagna Calda, a plate of roasted garlic, that we liked a lot; this is probably the only thing that we liked a lot. I ordered the Garlic Braised Boneless Short Rib, which was greasy, but the side of garlic mashed potatoes was yummy. My husband had the the 400 Cloves Turkey (a Thanksgiving special), and it was super-dry. For $29.99, we expected at least a decent meal more than turkey jerky, you know? When packing our leftovers, I asked the waitress to put everything in one box, but minus all the Bagna Calda oil. She ended up dumping all the oil in the box too! So we came home with some yams soaking in a large pool of oil. 1 star off: I felt so rushed to eat my meal that I almost had a heart attack, oh wait, that was from consuming the swimming pool of oil 1 star off: I can tell I didn't enjoy the meal much because I actually smelled NICE afterwards! And no, it was not from any perfumes they were selling there.
(3)
Ben B.

This place looks fun, but the service was slow and my dinner was okay at best. It's more of a touristy place than somewhere locals will want to go - crowded, loud, and trying a little too hard to be "authentic." The bathroom lines were ridiculous, too: who has a single 1-person-at-a-time bathroom for such a large restaurant? There are lots of Italian restaurants nearby, try one of the others.
(2)
Kat L.

Fast service and a full bar if you happen to arrive a little early. We had the mussels and shrimp iron skillet and the prime rib served medium rare. The meat came out perfectly and I loved the mussels and shrimp. They even serve it to you on a two level tray - a platter on top with a bowl below for the shells and "stuff". Nice... Shared the sundae for dessert, but there wasn't enough fudge in it. That really was our only complaint ;) We would come back, but I'd like to try some of the other restaurants on Columbus first. Overall, a good dining experience ;)
(4)
M L.

I was also suprised by all the negative press. I dug this place. I generally don't like the chain feel, but this place had some serious character. My girlfriend and I sat in one of the indivually unique private boths in the back, a perfect date spot. My ceasar salad was very good (chilled plate, sweet baby lettuce) and my GF's pasta was freshly made and delecately flavored. Also, the garlic spread on the table blew my mind.
(4)
Mister K.

This place is a garlic fest. Garlic everywhere. Dracula would have a lot of trouble in this restaurant. It is a friendly place, not outstanding food by any means, but an enjoyable time. Well located in the heart of North Beach. Out of towners will like it, and not a bad place to take kids although it has a surprisingly limited menu. Limited wine menu as well. If you are looking for a more cuisine-ish or unusual Italian dinner, go elsewhere. Sure, it would be nice if the prices were kinder, but couldn't that be said of all restaurants? All in all, a good time. Try the big shellfish mix - seems a little expensive but it is sizeable and good. The broth they pour over everything does a nice trick to the crab legs in particular.
(3)
Vanessa F.

After having dined regularly at the one in Los Angeles, I was excited to finally eat at this place up here. I was disappointed to see that they didn't have the calamari on this menu... but that's besides the point. ANYWAY, if you're coming here expect a relatively high check and to be tasting and sweating out garlic for a couple of days. Order the bagna calda... you can't go wrong with that on the bread AND you can also use any left over garlic in that to add more to your meal if necessary. Tried the shrimp skillet today... very tasty (but not worth the money). The prime rib was great, but medium rare was too rare. I've had their pastas in the past, and they lack any real garlic flavor. So if you're looking for garlic flavor skip that. I'll definitely go again, but not regularly seeing as you'll smell like garlic for a bit afterwards. Oh yeah... and parking's a pain.
(4)
jen p.

$42 for 2 entrees and an appetizer that was not even good.
(1)
Ashley G.

We went once on a visit to San Francisco on a recommendation from a stranger on the bus. The place we very crowded; however, our wait was not long. The staff knew how to function among the high demand. While we did feel like we were paying a bit for the atmosphere (Strings of garlic, wine corks, and bottles everywhere) the food was delicious. Order the roasted garlic to spread on the bread. Delicious!
(4)
Tom B.

Can we say gimmick? It's not even worth a full review.
(2)
Milton W.

If you're into being anti-social or heading out to that bar after dinner, but don't want to get hit on repeatedly, then this is the place to go because no one will want to come near you let alone talk to you after a meal here. The decor is a tad strange at first glance, but it offers a fun enviroment to chow down. I had the garlic house salad to start and it though nothing really jumps out at you in terms of flavor, its a salad! For my entree, I got myself some garlic meatloaf which was pretty decent. This was the first time I've ever had garlic ice-cream and it was actually pretty darn good and not what I expected. All in all, its not a bad place to go and a really good one if you love garlic. Not a place I would goto often due to the fact that parking is a pain in the butt, but I'll be back sometime soon.
(3)
Jess C.

Garlic overload! We dined there last night for a birthday. We ordered the bagna calda and the fondue as appetizers. I highly recommend the bagna calda but advise against the coagulated fondue! By the time the fondue arrived, the texture was as if it been ready for a while. It was not soft enough to dip or spread. I ordered the braised short ribs for my main meal. My complaint is that I don't think any of the main entrees are garlic infused enough. A majority of our party ordered the prime rib. The only way any of the main entrees were going to be garlicky enough is if you took a piece of garlic and spread it all around. Though, if you're a meat lover, I recommend the prime rib - prepared no more than medium. I thought it actually tasted better than House of Prime Rib. The service could have been better. A bit unattentive, especially since they were already going to tack on the 18% gratuity. Overall, I recommend trying this place at least once but definitely overrated. And like I initially wrote - garlic overload. I won't be eating an exorbitant amount of garlic for a while.
(3)
Sarah G.

For a famous restaurant as well know as this, I was somewhat disappointed with my food here. Don't get me wrong, the food was fine, but I just expected better. It just seemed like average italian food with extra garlic. The atmosphere is very nice but you will come out smelling like garlic for sure so be prepared for that. Go if you want, but it is definitely a place you don't need to go more than once. It is decent food, just not as good as it should be.
(3)
Mennlay A.

I was surprised how low the rating is on this restaurant. Then I starting reading everyone's review and I got persuaded for a hot second. I thought, "Hey maybe the stinking rose wasn't as tasty as I thought..." Just then I realized that these reviews are like junk-food-journalism. With journalism you can't write with a bias voice. You have to go with your gut. So, I went to the Stinking Rose with two other beautiful ladies last night. (We all wore dresses and I felt foolishly overdressed.) The "Garlic Soaking in the Tub" was fucking good. The Gnocchetti was rich and yummy under gorgonzola sauce with asparagus, shrimp and pine nuts. Hell yes! I give The Stinking Rose four-stars.
(4)
rachel g.

attention all garlic lovers.. if you love italian food and garlic.. you must go here.. not only is this resturaunt very cute inside the food is amazing, and the whole little section of north beach which is like a little part of italy is very cute. there is a lot of cute little italain shops near by and a gelato place.. the stinking rose is def a place to go to with your boyfriend (or guys take your girl friend)... it's very delicious... From what I remember the cork fee is about 15..
(5)
Dav S.

I'm not sure why I said "Yes" to this place. My cousin was in town from France and her tour guide book said to come here. I think they should have revised and updated their guide book. I'll have to say the first thing was I could care less about their service. Our waiter thought I was a tourist and rushed us. Yes, we speak three different languages but I do speak English too! Thank you! Second, the food was mediocre for $15-$25 plates. Your best bet is to head across the street to Steps of Rome or Franchino!
(2)
Natalie S.

I'm surprised that the reviews below are sorta bad. I am not sure if it is totally deserving of 4 stars becaus I have a lot of 4 star restaurants that are of higher worthiness, but 3 seems sort of low. I'd give it 3.5. I know that it is totally a tourist destination and most reviewers don't live in SF, but I went last night for a friend's birthday party. The choice of restaurant was not mine because I never would've thought to pick this place, and after being very hesitant on going to a tourist trap, I was surprisingly surprised, in a good way. This restaurant is pricey and in the middle of touristy Columbus Ave, but from what I ordered it was pretty good! I partook in several appetizers, which were alright, but since I was craving meat, I ordered the garlic prime rib, regular cut, which was $29.95. Usually prime rib is about that much and it was really tasty and juicy. It came with potatoes, which I really didn't eat, and chard, which was a little creamy, but decent. The best part of this restaurant is that they are pretty quick. It did take awhile to order, but that was because we were a big group. But our food came out pretty quick. I think the desserts came out 3 minutes after ordering. I didn't order a dessert because they were so common - tiramisu and gelato stuff. The tiramisu came in an oversized martini glass and was topped with whip cream - not really to my fancy. BTW - the garlic sauce for the bread is really garlicy and beware if you plan to go bar hopping afterwards because nothing is a bigger turn off than the garlic smell. I think this restaurant is best for families who don't plan to go out on the town afterwards....
(4)
Anne K.

If you don't love garlic, skip this place. Otherwise, feast in everything made out of garlic. This restaurant gets uber crowded, so make sure to have reservations in advance. Ambience: Strings of garlic and empty wine bottles hang from the ceiling. Dark, romantic. Service: Attentive Menu and Drinks: Prime Rib is garlic roasted (of course)-good! Also get the Arugula Pesto Pasta. Ok wine selection. Oh and I can't forget to mention the garlic bulb...soft garlic soaked in olive oil so that you can spread it on bread. Talk about major garlic breath!
(4)
Jessica L.

This place was incredible. Went with two other friends and absolutely LOVED it. (we are all big fans of garlic) The spread they have on the table is unbelievably awesome. Couldn't say enough great things! If you like garlic, this is your spot! (It also didn't kill any of the food . . . it was just perfect, everything!)
(5)
Diana O.

I love this place. The setting is fun and I love the lil tent rooms. The food is good, I like the garlic prime rib :). Never been disappointed. The bagna calda is a must! But be prepared to smell and taste garlic for quite awhile.
(4)
Michael C.

A friend of mine recommended this place. I was not disappointed. I just love garlic. Plus, the atmosphere is really unique (dark and kitschy). The food was incredible and the location is sublime (north beach / little Italy) -- I agree there are better Italian "foodie" restaurants in the bay area; but this place has a great vibe that is definitely worth exploring at least once.
(4)
Drew T.

Sadly, i have to agree with the other Yelpers. this is a bona fide tourist trap. the menu is short and less than appealing to a vegetarian (go figure - few options for vegs at an italian joint). the only reason why I would return here in the future is the secluded love making booths in the back. i think you have to call ahead to get a seat at one of those. this place is not good for groups and you probably won't enjoy it with 2 people either. i didn't. we were sat at a super small 'cafe' table and people kept bumping into the back of me while I was trying to eat. also, the place is packed so the service was slow. not just slow because of the rush, but slow because there were three different people attending to each table and all of them (except our waiter) was inattentive. veggie lasagna $15 (looked like a petite frozen lasagna from trader joes) and $15 for mini raviolis. granted, i appreciate that work was put into creating those dishes from scratch, but at the volume of service that they do, the prices are NOT justified. I should have just ate the greasy Chinese food from one of the mom and pop shops around the corner, at least then i wouldn't feel cheated. Also, there was no balsamic vinegar on the tables (wtf). I shouldn't have to ask for balsamic vinegar if you're serving bread as a starter and have O.O. and pesto out already.
(2)
Sarah G.

I had some friends who really wanted to go to North Beach for Italian and they were inexplicably drawn to this place. I shan't be trusting their judgment next time! The food was just blah - overcooked half-hearted Italian that was way overpriced for what was actually delivered. I'm pleased to hear that some people found the staff to be friendly - my friends and I certainly didn't. Half-hearted and lukewarm describes the service and the food, come to think of it. Just not worth the time or the money with all the other options in SF.
(1)
Ellen H.

Jessica S. below has it exactly right. Quite a fun atmosphere and speedy service, but the food is overcooked and poor. Nothing more than a tourist trap playing on a gimmick - sorry.
(2)
Tara A.

so the boyfriend and i decided to try this place out for lunch one day when we were in the neighborhood. i told him i had heard good things. who i heard these good things from i can't quite remember. maybe i made it all up, because in the end, i didn't have that many good things to say about the place. okay, so maybe ordering the fondue wasn't such a good idea if you're not into tons and tons of oily cheese. i had to give up part way through, too much cheese was putting me on the edge of vomit. we shared the arugula spinach pesto fettuccine which was good, but only that... and way too too oily. i walked out of that place singing songs of mediocrity and trying not to hurl from the sheer volume of unhealthy that was now sitting in my belly. ho hum.
(3)
Jessica K.

I don't see what's so great about this place. The staff is friendly sure, the bussers are quick to take care of business and the decor is interesting enough but the food is nothing to rave about unfortunately. I loooooove garlic but was kind of disappointed in this place. I ordered the Spicy Prawn pasta which was nothing but overcooked spinach fettucine accompanied by prawns, onions, pancetta and an arrabiatta sauce. Nothing special. It's fun to look around and get a quick bite, but overpriced and lacking at best.
(2)
Rebecca J.

Roses are red, Violets are blue, If you don't try this place, you need get a clue! This place is freakin awesome! If you like garlic, and I mean, LIKE garlic, then you will absolutely love this place more than your granny! The only downfall is that you smell, taste, and burp garlic for the next 48 hours. Other than that, the food is fantastic. I would suggest splitting your meal because the portions are huge. I would say this is a good place for a group too. Lots of seating.
(5)
Andy A.

The cheapest thing on the menu in terms of main course is $15. Ouch. I know this is North Beach, but you've got to offer a little bit more than just over cheesed gnocchi in order to set that price. Ridiculous prices, subpar food, unattentive service. The only thing keeping this place from getting 1 star is that it's all about the garlic. But if it wasn't...
(2)
Kimby T.

yeah so the menu is kind of cheesy looking and the server we had kind of sucked and our drinks didn't get to our table until we were already done with our meal, BUT the garlic parsley spread they have at the table is delish, the mussels were ok (yum butter sauce though), and the crab sauce was tasty but it was the pasta with snap peas and tomato that was my favorite thing on the table.
(3)
Shradha B.

interesting to see how divided peoples' opinions about this much-discussed restaurant is! i went there for the 1st time earlier this week and tell u what, i wasn't disappointed at all! :) the food was very good - especially the shrimps in tomato garlic broth --- ooh la la! and the portions werent as small as people are making them out to be. i had to pack my spinach fettucine with shrimps! wish they had more cocktails on their menu though. we ordered 2 out of the 3 and lets just say, i've had better ones :p oh and it wasnt crowded at all the evening i went there. it was about 9:30pm and we were pretty much the only ones there. i agree the space between our table and the next was a little tight but c'mon san franciscans, u are used to that!
(4)
Braden B.

I'm embarrased to say I like this place too. I love garlic and Italian, and great bulbs, thus, herein my gut lies on a bench awaiting a plethora of over-"garlicked" foods. Lions and Tigers and Garlic oh my. I'll never try the Garlic Wine, but I'll always L-o-v-e the oil/garlic bulbs to smear liberally across the bread.
(3)
Paolo B.

Went there for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and man was it not worth it. Food tasted decent, but not worth the price you have to pay for it. Service was ok. The guy that grated the cheese over my pasta got more on my shirt and pants, then in my actual plate of food. Didn't even apologize. Portions are a little small for the price you pay. Appetizer with the salami was good though, but that was about it.
(2)
Gina N.

If you love garlic and italian food, this is definately the spot to go! the restaurant definately has a unique decor, and is filled w/ hanging garlic cloves! Literally everything we ate had garlic in it, including the garlic olive oil we dipped w/ our bread. I also like the fact that they left us w/ a pitcher of water so that we don't have to wait to get our glasses filled. We shared the garlic dungeness crab (Lotsa Crab for 2). I wanted to see if it would compare w/ the one from crustaceans. I was a little dissapointed because I couldn't taste the garlic in the crab as much as i would have liked, but it was still good crab, and we were pretty filled, we didn't have room for desert. If you make reservations, please plan to come SUPER early bc parking is INSANE in the north beach district.
(4)
k k.

Overrated, totally overrated. Having heard SOOO much hype for years about Stinking Rose, I had pretty darn high expectations. Basically, my S.O.'s and my entrees were just NOT very garlicky. We asked the waiter about it (I had meatloaf, he had duck or chicken of some sort). Apparently, the meatloaf isn't garlicky (wtf.....) His was OK but again, we both LOOOOOVE garlic so we were thinking this place would be like garlic heaven. I really REALLY don't think I would go here again...just because of false advertising. Why would I go to a place that promises garlic garlic garlic for the same type of food i could get at a regular restaurant, pay far less and not wait forever. Perhaps I wouldn't be so disappointed if I hadn't heard that this place was just the bomb, and it so wasn't.
(2)
Alison C.

I've been here a few times with friends, most recently with a tourist friend. I'm not embarrassed to say that I've never had anything but great service at The Stinking Rose. It's unfortunate that others hae had such bad experiences here, because I've never had a bad one and I feel very lucky. Everytime I've been here my reservations have been honored in a timely manner and the waitstaff and food have been excellent, even for a tourist trap. I can honestly say I've enjoyed myself each and everytime I've been here and never felt looked over or neglected. The oysters in the broth are to die for.
(4)
Jessica C.

This place is such a tourist trap. It's overpriced, takes forever to get a seat and the menu isn't that good. My friend and I were both seriously disappointed and I don't plan on returning. Seriously, with all of the fantastic food options in San Francisco, head somewhere else.
(2)
Alisa A.

This place is overrated. I'm pretty sure everyone else is saying the same thing. I've been to the one in SF 4 times and the one in Beverly Hills once and although I do like the ambiance at both locations, the food really isn't all that amazing. The service is so-so. They know they're a popular restaurant so none of the waiters really go out of their way to make any decent impression; oftentimes the service is slow, half-hearted, and really lacking. It's unfortunate because it has such a prime location in North Beach and for some reason, the line for a table is always a mile long over the weekends. To be honest, no dish really stands out in my mind. All I can remember is that they have a nice bar that you can wait at for your table to open up, even if you have reservations.
(2)
Adolfo L.

They Don't Call It Stinkin' For Nuttin' Friend's birthday. So where do you want to go? Stinking Rose? Cool, I've never been. You love it you say? And the Garlic Prime Rib is awesome? Well, I love prime rib and I love garlic so I'm looking forward to it. I check Yelp for reviews. 2.5 stars? No f@#$ing way. Is it really that bad? Must be a small sampling of reviews that are all negative. What? 283 reviews? Oh snap, can it really be that bad? I must investigate more. I post my first ever thread to enlist the help of fellow Yelpers. I basically ask "is it that bad, and if it is what can I do to make the best of it?" I got some great feedback and a few smartass comments. Yes people, I think I do know of a website where there are real people who post real reviews on restaurants and businesses in your local area. At least I can appreciate the art of smart assing. Anyway, I digress. So I go. I go with looowered expectaaaatiooons. I go thinking Olive Garden but with assloads of garlic. I go thinking someone suggesting McDonald's would be better. I go thinking that someone said I must go majorly stoned. So much negativity! I'll try to be positive. I'll go thinking I should be positive and enjoy the company I'm with. So yeah this place is the Stinking Rose, but it stinks for all the wrong reasons. So much for being positive. Yes, this place is on the pricey side, but if the food's good then it's all good. How was it? So the mussels were nothing special. The wine was a bit acidic. Didn't taste good with the food. Or maybe it was the food? No, it's both. The prime rib comes out looking like the $9.99 special from Carrow's. I'll give it a chance. The first bite was moist with the sweet hint of roasted garlic. Can this be a turnaround? No. It quickly went downhill. The rest of the slab was dry. The garlic seemed to be out of place, not accenting the meat well. I also didn't know what to do with the pile of partially roasted, cold garlic cloves they plopped on top of my slice. Quickly I went for the au jus, drowning every piece of meat. Then I dabbed it with horseradish. It helped, but not enough. I struggled to finish one of my favorite types of entrees. And I NEVER need to use au jus. Real bad signs. Alas, I man up and force it all down. Maybe I could save the meal with some of Gilroy's Famous Garlic Ice Cream? That's a negative. It's not all that whiz-bang special, just vanilla ice cream with garlic puree. I'm sure it could've been executed better. Conclusion. The Yelp reviews were right. All the Yelpers were right. Overpriced for the product. They're big on garlic, but it doesn't work well in the dishes. What's worse is that I almost think the garlic isn't entirely fresh... or freshly roasted. I actually needed more garlic, or at least have it used properly to accent the dishes well. And dry prime rib? I bet the au jus was packaged too. Damn you guys stink. Thank you Yelp and all you Yelpers, but nothing could've saved me from this one. But thanks for softening the blow. I'm not as depressed or frustrated as I would've been without the warnings. I won't be back anytime soon.
(1)
Sarah D.

Totally love this place basically because I love garlic and I think there should be more restaurants focused on it. I know some people think this is lame for it being a tourist trap but really they have excellent bread and extra garlicy olive oil. The 12 garlic chicken was extra tasty too. I liked the decor as well(or i think I did, it was a few years ago that I was there). It would definitely be in my repertoire of restaurants if I lived close and I really don't mind other things if the food is great. Also honestly there some parts where it could be considered a tourist trap because of their store and kitschy stuff but I just ignore that part. Too bad they're only out in Cali.
(4)
Spanky M.

ZERO Star rating tourist trap alert!!! What a let down, just like the gilroy garlic festival....full of promise but fails to live up to its potential. The food is salty, bland , or dry, or all three. The service is also appaling. I've been a server for quite sometime and I have family that serves at high end steak houses, and this place felt like a Denny's. Actually Denny's would be better. the food suffers from a lack of anyone with real culinary skills, which is what it takes to makes half of these dishes. Instead they hire Pablo from the street to follow directions, typical of hyped up california joints that yelpers tear apart. The lack of creativity and skill involved in making the over priced dish makes me wonder why this palce can still be in business. Now I love Garlic..absolutely love garlic.....i eat whole cloves, and will eat crushed cloves with chives and butter over spaghetti. So when I hear that a restaurant in a foodie city caters to garlic fiends.....i pop a woodie like a 5th grader at sex ed. But the experience was the like the first time i masterbated. I felt used, empty, and alone. The food was like some kind of introduction to garlicky food. If you are a garlic nut like myself stop by, take a picture, and leave as fast as you can.
(1)
josh b.

I don't know why everyone hates this place so much. It's not bad, as long as you're okay with smelling like garlic for two weeks. But the steaks are good, appetizers too. Garlic wine is disgusting.
(4)
D J.

This place isn't all that bad. I went here for the first time and was very satisfied. We had a pizza and a pasta dish and the bill for the food was not more than $23 before tip. Of course loving alcohol and a couple of bottles of wine later our bill was a little more than $23, but I did not feel, considering for the location, that it was overpriced at all. The food tasted good and was filling. The service was a little slow, it took forever for the server to come and take the bill, so we had to wait a little bit for our change. This place was empty for a thursday night though, we were seated immediately at 7:30. Overall I probably will be back sometime.
(3)
Betty N.

I must be retarded because I like this place. I don't mind consuming the 40 clove chicken and stinking like garlic for days. The tiramisu isn't that bad either. Cheesy Italian restaurants rule!
(3)
Fannie S.

I cannot stand this place. If I could give zero stars, I would! I went the first time, as a newbie in the city about 8 years ago. I went a second time, as I forgot about the first time, and found out it was utterly cheesy with the horrible music over the loudspeakers, wallpaperish decor, and just terrible service. I went the third time, because it was the birthday girl's request. She insisted. (Even though I tried to talk her out of it!) I did not enjoy my food, which was disgusting...I ordered a pasta dish, which do not do justice to any Italians anywhere--limp noodles, bland sauce and barely lukewarm. Their garlic-anything was boring and overly done...you know, when you've had too much of something, it starts tasting like nothing? Well this place has plenty of that! The service was terrible, as it is located in a tourist-ladened area. If you want real Italian, please do yourselves a favor, and flip a coin for anything else but this place!
(1)
Marcia S.

They don't call this place the "Stinking" Rose for nothing! It was our first venture into the city from San Mateo, and my husband took me here for my birthday. The appeal . . . well he knows I love garlic. Turns out the food was not that great! It stunk!! We both had disappointing cuts of steak and the garlic fondue was greasy and unappetizing. To make things better we enjoyed our meal in the window box of the restaurant, where everyone walking by could see the disappointment on our faces. There are better gems in the city!!!
(2)
Liz A.

So let's just start with the fact that I knew better than to go here. I worked in hotels in SF for several years and had been warned of the Tourist magnet that is this restaurant, but i was with a friend who doesn't live in the city, and she'd had a great meal there very recently so i figured, What the Hell! I've gotta hold strong next time. it wasn't that it was so bad (believe me I've had worse) but it just wasn't good. I had the spicy prawns with spinach spaghetti and it would have been great had they not poured a full cup of sauteed onions over the top. I HATE onions and make sure to request none on my dishes, but guess what, it wasn't listed on the menu! That many onions and they don't list it as an ingredient on the menu! are you kidding me! so while i fished for my dinner beneath the mountain of onions, my friend ate the smoke salmon ravioli. She loved them, but wished they'd actually filled her dish. We also had wine (good of course) and the garlic in a bath which was great, but yeah, the rolls they serve, not so great. We sat at a table for 2 that had so much stuff on the top we both almost ended up with our meals in our laps at some point in the evening. Overall, we were both fairly satisfied, but not completely full, not completely happy and we both had dragon breath. Here's a though, instead of giving us tiny gummy Italian candies that i almost choked on, how about some mints! So yeah, next time, I'm holding strong and dragging my friend to the Steps of Rome, or Mona Lisa, or.... ANYWHERE ELSE!
(2)
Vivian W.

I love garlic....but the stinking restaurant sucks.
(2)
Anastasia Beaver Housand J.

Not a place you'd want to take a hot and hunky date on, especially after eating the 17 clove garlic stuffed chicken, the garlic mashed potato, garlic fondue, garlic rolls, pesto and garlic on bread rolls, and garlic ice cream. I FEEL LIKE a giant garlic clove and stink of garlic today and can't go or talk to anyone. No-one will want to kiss me for a week . .... but I enjoyed the food, quick service and ambiance of this place, so I give it a four. Tasted slightly better garlic based Italian food in New York.
(4)
Mary C.

I love garlic. This place rules!!! I loved the Bagdna Calda and the pasta. It was a little cute place that was perfect with good service. They gave little breath mints afterwards that actually work on killing that garlic breath too. I would go there every day and love it.
(5)
kristin e.

i came here for the first time (and only time) in 1999. i remember hating the food we ordered but loving the super garlic-y pesto they had at every table. we killed the entire jar and had to steal another jar from the neighboring table. i try to avoid tourist traps as much as possible but i found myself here tonight because my sister was craving pasta and i suggested we go to north beach. i had the zuppa di pesce (which was more or less like ciopinno) which wasn't bad at all. in fact, it was generous with meaty crab legs, mussels, shrimp and calamari. the small size was more than enough for me. along with a glass of prosecco, it made for a good dinner. for dessert we shared a chocolate mousse with brownie chunks. pretty damn tasty, i'd say. the jar of garlic spread was at our table and we almost killed that...it was just as good as ever! can't wait to smell like garlic when i wake up tomorrow morning
(4)
Karen L.

This restaurant's name says it all. It is so garlicky that you barely realize you are still eating garlic after awhile. This is one of those touristly-famous restaurants that everyone recommends if you are visiting SFO. This was my first time there, although I am a frequent visitor to the Bay Area. It was good, not over-the-top great, but definitely worth the trip out there. My favorite was the mussels app. It had a great flavor (garlicky, of course) and fresh and tasty! The garlic app (tons of cloves in olive oil) was also quite good, although it is a little scary when you realize how much garlic you are eating! You have to try the garlic ice cream, too, just to say you have had garlic ice cream!
(3)
Maricris G.

We recommend the crab with garlic mashed potatoes! Given how crowded and booked the restaurant was, we were happily surprised by the service and the quickness in preparation of the food. We literally received our dinner within minutes of receiving our drinks and appetizers. Loud vibe, so don't expect a romatic atmosphere. Meals can be pricey but comparable to neighboring SF restaurants. Come here if you love garlic! I recommend making reservations and planning ahead for parking. For those who are unfamiliar with SF, this restaurant is located in North Beach, which is a nightmare when it comes to public parking.
(4)
Steven S.

I ordered a Roasted Rabbit ($19.99) primarily because it is listed under the "Favorites" section of the menu, but I found it to taste strikingly like chicken... strange. Rabbit in my opinion has a distinctly delicate taste just as lamb is distinct in flavor. Though the rabbit in the Stinking Rose is decent, it lacks its trademark flavor. The plate comes with a side of garlic mashed potatoes, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, the whole thing sits with a $20 price tag--much too high for what I experienced. I will give the Stinking Rose the benefit of the doubt that rabbit is not their forte since I believe this is a pasta restaurant. My friends had several different kinds of pasta (each around $15), which they all enjoyed. I had a decent experience at The Stinking Rose albeit expensive food for what it is. Would not return here.
(2)
Philip L.

This was me and my ex's favorite restaurant. I love garlic, and would recommend this place. Staple order for me would have to be the mussels. Thye serve it sizzling on an iron platter. It also comes with melted garlic butter. I would say the zuppa de pesce is also a great dish. Love this place!
(4)
Nina N.

a great place you bring your family.. like children.. need a say more....
(1)
Lily L.

Had the chicken here, wasn't so impressed. But I did like their garlic cloves in olive oil basking over a small votive. Now that was yum.
(3)
John O.

So, it has a tacky name, and yes, the restaurant is very tacky to match the name. As for the food, it is all garlic based, so if you don't like garlic, than don't eat here! I thought the food was pretty good, and the crab dinner I had was good but very oily. Well, a little too oily for my taste anyway. The bread was very good and I love the little garlic relishes they had on the table. I even bought some on the way out. I thought the service was pretty good considering how packed the place was.
(4)
Jamie A.

With a stinking hostess. The hostess here was a total biotch! First off, I called Thursday morning for a reservation on Friday night at 9 pm. They took my reservation and of course, reserved a spot. Then I called again Thursday night to add another couple of people and again, they assured me it would be no problem. I called Friday afternoon just to confirm, (since the woman I spoke with on Thursday night about adding people seemed a bit unsure) and again, they assured me that it would be no problem. My friends and I show up on Friday night at about 8:45 and we're told that we have no reservation, but that they'd just work us in anyways but it would be a short wait and to let them know when the entire party arrived. We all headed to the bar for a $10 glass of pino noir (which I later saw on the menu that they jipped me a buck because it was listed as $9 per glass), and waited for the last person to arrive. When we were all here I walked up to the blonde hostess to let her know and she shrugs, rolls her eyes, (yes, at the same time) and snaps at me, "Well SHE already showed you to your table." and I looked over at the bar where my entire party was standing and didn't really know what to say. She then continued, "She went over there to show you where your table was and you all just stood there!" That just really annoyed me and I was hoping that the food would make up for the lack of service but was totally disappointed there too. It really just tasted like "chain" food. Like the kind of food you'd expect to find at any major chain restaurant, with a ton of garlic. On a positive note, our servers were actually GREAT and they made sure we had enough drinks, bread, water, etc. They brought the birthday boy a huge Tiramisu, which was delicious!
(2)
Fern D.

This place was mediocre. I don't know what the hype is about. And I'm guessing it's probably not as good as it used to be since North Beach is such a huge tourist attraction to begin with. The best Italian restaurants, are probably NOT in North Beach these days. Anyhow, what I did like is the garlic pesto for the bread. I actually liked it better than the roasted garlic/anchovy "dip" for bread that's listed as an appetizer. I had the gnochhi dish which was ok, but nothing to write home about. At least the gnocchi was soft and pillowy.
(2)
Sheri N.

i truly enjoyed my first experience here, so it's sad to see the low ratings... the bf and i wanted italian, and stinking rose came to mind. i've lived here all my life, and had not yet been here. we both love garlic, so this seemed like the spot to go to. we started w/the roasted garlic bulb... how can you go wrong w/that? i had the veggie lasagna.. chard in lasagna!?!? YUMMERS! a great twist off the traditional spinach. he had fish [i forget what kind...maybe also because i'm a veg head, so i don't really care] that came w/grilled veggies and a wonderful cous cous. the cous cous was to die for...not your typical little balls, but the big sized cous cous that had olives and a great variety of herbs that jumped out in your mouth. we topped the night off with tiramisu... a huge portion that we devoured! the waiter recommended a great bottle of wine, which i don't remember as well.. oh and we had a great, aged remy cognac w/dessert. i guess i can attribute my lack of memory to all those drinks. hah. we were seated downstairs in tables that were cabana style. too bad i couldn't top the delectable meal off by closing the curtains and having a 'happy ending' with the bf ;)
(5)
Kristen H.

For some reason, I have fond memories of Stinking Rose from my childhood, but those were at the Los Angeles location. I've been to the SF one several times when family from out of town has insisted, and the food is gross and the seating is cramped. Better to walk a few feet up the street to Mona Lisa restaurant - MUCH better food, worth the wait, but still has the semi-touristy thing my out-of-town family loves. Plus, everything I've had on the menu is delicious, and the menu is large and long ... and the owners and servers are funny. Be careful not to order a 'latte' though ... they'll bring you warm milk b/c they're true Italians ... hahahaha
(1)
Jena S.

My friends and I planned to go ice skating on Embarcadero, but by the time we got there it was closed. So we all looked at eachother, and my buddy says "lets go to a strip club." So we get to Broadway St. where most of them are and I decide to go eat dinner first and then join them later. I walked around the area maybe about 4 times in circles and walked by The Stinking Rose and decided to go in. The reason why I chose to eat at this restaurant is because of its awkward location. The name itself was wierd and the design of the restaurant was interesting. Much like other italian restaurants in North Beach, this place was full of italian things. When I first walked in, it was kind of like hooters where they sell shirts and other stuff like garlic i guess. When you walk into the dining room, it seems like a fine dining enviornment. As for my lonely dinner, it was okay. The place is definitely overpriced. I wanted to order an appetizer and a meal, but for me alone, it would have probably amounted up to about $30. After about 4 minutes, the waitor (who didnt introduce himself) asked me if I wanted anything to drink. I ordered a coffee and a water and they both came right away. He asked me if I was done looking and I said "5 minutes please." 10 minutes go by and he finally comes. I ordered the ceasar salad and a side of mashed potatoes. Then he came back and said there were no mashed potatoes. I figured they would say that considering it was 15 minutes from closing. But they gave me free hummus, so it was cool. The salad sucked. I order ceasar salad everywhere I go, and when I think of romaine, I think of it as very green...but it was like the stem or something. Stems about 10 inches long that I had to cut like it was meat or something. I must have eaten like 4 bites before I got sick of putting the effort into cutting the lettuce. The waitor dropped off the bill right after and only put the salad on there. Gave him a $20 and told him to keep the change. I didnt realize until I got to the strip club that my breath smelt like garlic. Make sure you have gum if you go there. Its a nice, casual place to have dinner or lunch with a friend.
(3)
Tyler D.

The food was alright, but too expensive for what they give you. I mean, I understand this is San Francisco and it's expensive here, but this verges on ridiculous. The waiters are friendly and patient. The menu is small, but offers a variety of things.
(3)
Lynn T.

i sat across from the big O ... oprah that is... and she didnt ask me for a bit! celebs wall to wall and corks everywhere... ok so youre buca di beppo meets garlic. and you know what... im not complaining! i love garlic and i love italian food! there's a few things yoiu might want to consider before dining at stinky rose. one will obviously be your tolerance for garlic and the people who love it. two, price.. yeah kinda expensive like buca but less food. we ordered a lasania and linguine dish totaling $35. The lasania was awesome and cheesy. the linguine was plain and simple. and three, options... there isnt much. what i liked about stinky rose is how high tech it is. we didnt have to wait long for seating on a friday night. they had this electronic map of the restaurant in front that showed which tables were available and the waiters had what looked like palm pilots to take orders. I really dont see a reason why they needed one since there is much for customers to choose from so how can they really mess up right? oh wells. here's a story.. i call it Thank You Stinky Rose... As i laid half awake in my bed the next morning, my mom came in my room shocked by some overwhelming stench. in her harsh asian woman tone,(emphasis on "asian woman" cus you know it sounds like they're yelling no matter what the situation) " what's that smell?" she said. In my head im thinking... darn you vodka or whatever drink(s) i had last night. " GARLIC!" she says softly (that's what she thinks!) and i sigh with relief and went back to sleep... thanking stinky rose as i dosed off. so the moral of the story is... garlic beats alcohol!
(4)
Stephanie J.

I don't care what anyone says, this place is fabulous! You want garlic? Go here. You want a great place to take visiting friends or family? Go here. I've eaten here plenty of times and ordered most of the menu. How could you not start with the garlic bagna calda? The sizzling mussels are amazing....so are the garlic steamed clams. Arugula Pesto pasta is to die for but I never leave a good 40 clove garlic chicken meal behind! I always get the chianti (I'm partial to it, not gonna lie) and at the end of the night if you aren't smelling like a large garlic clove then you haven't done the restaurant right...And have we even touched on the decor? For a date (and weather permiting) try to get the outside patio upstairs, it's intimate and romantic. The room with all of the bottles is fun but so is the red velvet booth room that sets the ambiance. Overall, stop the complaining of it being overcrowded, busy or whatever and just enjoy a great meal!
(5)
Angela T.

Since I'm a garlic freak, I love this place. And hellooooo, I am SO NOT exaggerating when I say I love garlic. They have this app with cloves of garlic drenched with olive oil so that you can dip your bread. Delicious! And my ass eats ALL cloves. Not kidding. Wanna make out?
(4)
Shaquille O.

I ate here last Friday night. The restaurant is a lot better than the 2.5 star rating it has on yelp. The line was not long (maybe because of the bad internet reviews?), 5 of us came here on a Friday night without reservations and were seated promptly. The service was fast and friendly. Another rude patron accidentally spilled my friend's beer on her. The server not only did a good job of cleaning up the mess but he also replaced the spilled beer. Overall I was very pleased with the service. The food was pretty good too. The portion sizes were large -- you won't leave this place hungry. I had the lamb shanks which were pretty tasty and flavorful. Overall I recommend.
(4)
Keri S.

"The Stinking Rose," so creative and charming. I was introduced to this place by a great friend and we have gone here a few times. This is one of my loves for the city, cute "hole in the walls" that have great food! I love the garlic "rope" all throughout the restaurant ceilings. They have tables for dining with small or large groups. I like the little booths, real simple and intimate. It's an Italian/Pizza joint type of setting. It makes me think Sopranos or something of the nature. I personally like the Neon Ravioli, its around $18. The flavor is heavenly and it was served very fresh, with just the right seasoning! The waitress was also very attentive, always a plus when the service is quick and you don't have a glass hit half full. For dessert, their Tiramisu is the real deal! Sooooooooo delicious! The portions of everything are a perfect amount too!!
(4)
Alice J.

I love garlic so I love the idea of this restaurant. There's a good variety of food options from pizza to pasta, to fish and meat entrees. It also provides a lively, fun ambiance. However the food could use a little improvement. Some dishes are so overly greasy and overpowering in garlic that it makes it hard to enjoy. Worth going once for the experience, but not much to go back for.
(2)
Ricki H.

It's all hype. Don't go. Salmon - dry, overcooked Pasta - overcooked pasta, tasteless sauce Garlic bread - it's editable but not memerable Garlic ice-cream - watery, not creamy enough and I barely taste the garlic flavor. To me food is much more important than services. Food is bad enough for me to start reviewing their services...
(2)
Nicole P.

Perhaps I came here hoping to reek of garlic for days after, but sadly I did not. I was let down. I can't remember what I had; a reflection of how bland my entrÃ©e was. Definitely not enough garlic, nor flavor, for me.
(3)
edward k.

mmmmmm garlic. came here with Amber D. Angela D. and Lisa Z. to get something that was classic sf and something we all love. GARLIC we came here on independence day so it was not packed at all in the restaurant. we got seated in a nice booth where we immediately ordered the garlic fondue and the garlic roasted in oliveoil. they give you bread to start where you can spread this garlic/pesto sauce all over it. its a bit spicy with gives it a nice kick. the garlic in oil was very nice where you take cloves of garlic and just spread it over bread. the garlic fondue was more like a cheese dip and not that exciting. we also got some pizza from here and those were ok. they tasted nice but you could not taste the garlic in those pizzas and i assumed that EVERYTHING had garlic in them. maybe they were supposed to be more subtle or just something to offset the garlic. overall it is definitely a place that you have to try at least once if you love garlic. also.. all the garlic come from gilroy which is only 1.5-2 hours away so you know its all fresh.
(4)
Martha M.

WOW went here a few days ago for our anniversary 11/16/09. The food certainly has gone down hill since the last time we were here. The Bagna Calda was cold, the mussles were poorly cleaned and the mashed potato that came with the lamb were barely edible. Extremely disappointed in the quality of the food..
(1)
Steve M.

Two stars with all things being equal, but three stars if you set your expectations for the tourist trap it is.
(2)
Jullian W.

One Of My Fav Restaurant In Frisco
(4)
Michelle M.

So, although I gave this place 3 stars, I definitely wouldn't recommend it as a favorite of my Italian restaurants, there are definitely better within 2 blocks, but it isn't awful. So the thing is, they have this amazing dip for your bread and stuff which is sooooo garlicky, which I love, but the problem is that it is so flavorful that by the time you get your food, it tastes so bland. I am not sure if it is actually bland, or if it is just because the pre-dinner garlic had soo much flavor that it has numbed your mouth to any other flavors. And, I can't go and not have that garlic stuff! Soo delicious. I would give it 2 stars, but the 3rd star comes from my most recent experience. I went in to buy that garlic dip because it is so good and they sell a lot of products there. I didn't see it on the shelf and when I asked about it, the manager said that they don't sell it, but that he could give me the recipe. He didn't have any on hand because they had run out, but he went into the back, printed me a copy and brought me a container full of the dip for free! I was so excited. I also bought some garlic pesto which hopefully will be delicious. Anyways, they have a very nice staff who is always friendly and willing to help out! I would take an out of town person here if they were into the touristy thing, but it isn't somewhere that I would make a regular dinner spot.
(3)
Benjamin T.

Plus: Atmosphere is neat, the individual "tent" booths in the back lend themselves nicely to a pre-garlic romp. Minus: In a word.. temperature. The "Bagna Calda" came to our table cold. So cold, in fact, that we had to wait for the candle under the iron skillet to warm it up a bit. My coffee was also served cold, and when I mentioned this to the waiter, he said "I thought it might have been cold when I brought it to you." Shame shame. We had the Margherita pizza, which was passable. The waiter told us that the plate would be hot.. it was cold... I know what you are thinking, and I thought the same thing, however an appointment with my physician the next day eliminated the possibility of early-onset leprosy, so what gives?
(2)
Heidi R.

This is my second time here. I would HIGHLY recommend requesting a booth in the back. they are amazing. Each booth is in its own private tent/cabana if you will and a chandelier. It is much more quiet and romantic in the booths. The food is yummy, but to be honest I come for the atmosphere. We start off with the "bagna Calda" appetizer. It is basically an immense amount of garlic gloves soaked in a bath of oil and anchovies. Spread on the bread, it is delish. On the table there is a garlic spread that is free and I actually like that more than the appetizer and well, its FREE! :-) My boyfriend always gets the porkchop which is very yummy. I have tried the short rib ( a little dry) and the meatloaf, which was good. It is a little on the pricey side (about $20 per entree), but it is a nice place to go when visiting the city. I recommend calling ahead for reservations to beat the long wait. This place can get busy!
(3)
Amanda R.

I originally tried this SF staple when I first moved to the city and enjoyed it the first time around. I ordered the Halibut both times and was disappointed on my second try; dry/over cooked fish with not much flavor in the acini de pepe pasta the dish is served with. The customer service was just "OK" and even with a reservation on a Thursday evening, we were left waiting for 20 minutes. Get Bagna Calda starter aka "garlic hot tub" if you go but don't expect spectacular.
(2)
Jillian D.

I went for the garlic hype, and yes, I got plenty of garlic. Food was OK, not spectacular; I had the lasagna and my husband had the 40 clove chicken. The menu didn't really impress me that much either. Our server was not very personable and we waited long periods of time between his visits to our table, despite it not being terribly busy (in my opinion). The best part of the meal was the garlic ice cream, which was actually quite tasty, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had my taste buds not been bombarded with garlic for the entire meal. Overall, very touristy and I think there are better San Francisco restaurants to try in the same area.
(2)
Wil M.

I like the rabbit here. It's made to be moist and tasty. I don't remember trying anything else. I probably wouldn't visit this place very often except for the fact that people keep talking about it and I end up bringing out of town tourists here. Not a bad place, but definitely nothing special.
(3)
Rosalynn D.

I've always wanted to try the Stinking Rose because I've heard many people talking about it so I tried it out one night thinking that this could be my new favorite restaurant. I love garlic and so I was expecting to walk in and out smelling like crap afterwards, BUT It was really nothing THAT special, just food that u get at any other restaurant with garlic cloves in it...YOU CANT EVEN TASTE ANY GARLIC in the food. I give it 3 stars cuz our waiter was super nice and the decor was cute. You would think that walking into a garlic restaurant would smell like garlic, but no...it doesnt. Oh and the food is SO BLAND.. YUCK.
(3)
Irene W.

haha i dunno...it sounds like such a great idea. i really really love garlic, but i guess there's always a breaking point as to how much of something you can actually have before you feel sick to the stomach. as i'm sure anyone with common sense will know...do NOT go here for a date! i went with girlfriends so i had a great time but i can only imagine what a nightmare it would be to go here with a significant other. we were really delighted by the decor, it has a really romantic feeling, kind of funky and classy. we got seated in one of the cute booths that were under the circus-like curtains. we immediately started with the bagna calda, actual caramelized cloves of garlic to spread over garlic bread. we chomped on it while discussing the health benefits of garlic, how it lowers your cholesterol, etc. and it was delicious!!!! or so we thought, until we were on our third bread or so with the spread. we were started to feel the pain already. we ordered the chicken salad, the black linguine with clams, and the sea bass. the entrees are LEGIT. they were really yummy! the garlicy taste was not as strong on these dishes as they were in our appetizer. we each ate about half of our dishes and quit. see...the food is actually really delicious, but the strong garlic taste of everything was a little hard to handle as you keep eating. although we were really full, we decided that we had to give the garlic ice cream a try. haha, i have no doubt that the garlic ice cream might've been great on any other day but after eating cloves of garlic and even more garlic, that LARGE cup of spicy garlic ice cream was too much. we stopped after maybe three spoonfulls. after having some time to reflect on it, i think the next time i go, i'll sick with an entree and that's it. skip the appetizer and ice cream at the end. because the food is really good, it's just you cant make that mistake of over-doing it. we all felt kind of nauseous afterwards, my stomach was not very happy with me. and the garlic breath reallllllly stays with you for at least 48 hours, even with lots of brushing and mouthwash, i'm estimating. it was a great, memorable, and kind of hilarious experience overall. while leaving the restaurant, my friend, completely high on garlic, asks the girls at the front desk "what is the best way to get rid of garlic breath?". the girl answered: "time". indeed.
(3)
Cat K.

Decided to try this place with a bunch of friends for the first time. The decor is interesting inside, service is good, food is good but not great. I was a little disappointed that this place wasn't better. I guess I've heard about it for sooo long, that I thought it would have been amazing. Maybe it was over hyped?
(3)
Marisa O.

Food is GOOD. Service is good. Ambiance is ok. Price is good. This is the first time I have ever been to the Stinking Rose, and it had been pretty hyped up by people I know that have been regular patrons of this establishment, so I figured it could go one of two ways: either LOVE it, or meh, it was over-hyped. But amazingly enough, it lived up to the hype, and I would definitely go back. So loved it.
(4)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Address : 325 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA, 94133
Phone (415) 781-7673
Website https://www.thestinkingrose.com/about-sf.htm
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 10
Mon : 11:30 am - 10

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Touristy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

Claim Restaurant

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant

325 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133

The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant Menu

Bagna Calda

Sizzling Iron Skillet - Roasted

Tureens

Appetizers

Pizzas

Salads

Pastas

Dungeness Killer Crab

Favorites

Fish

Garlic Roasted Prime Rib

Surf & Turf

Sides

Happy Cocktails

Wines

Draft Beer

Beverages

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant

Bagna Calda

Sizzling Iron Skillet - Roasted

Tureens

Appetizers

Pizzas

Salads

Pastas

Dungeness Killer Crab

Favorites

Fish

Garlic Roasted Prime Rib

Surf & Turf

Sides

Happy Cocktails

Wines

Draft Beer

Beverages

Jacob S.

Stephanie P.

Nancy T.

Stephen C.

Michael R.

Trevor C.

Scarlett B.

Denise D.

Shanna K.

venu p.

Samer K.

Hannah C.

Edward W.

Jessica L.

sharma h.

Lola G.

Nicholas Y.

Brianna D.

Natasha S.

Sj G.

Jordan P.

David M.

Tak-seng L.

Rav V.

Michelle A.

tim r.

Kae B.

Sandra L.

Diana T.

Denise L.

BriannSandy W.

Sally C.

Carolyne R.

Sheena D.

Wally V.

Firecracker M.

john m.

Nicole W.

Kelly J.

Cavin T.

C Y.